As inflation continues to hit home for Americans, data from the New York State Association of REALTORS® shows more New York homebuyers stayed on the sidelines in this spring.
Year over year, New York state experienced an 8% decline in sales and 2.4% increase in the median home sales price to $430,000 in April. Both of these rates surpass changes seen at the national level, where home sales dropped 1% year-over-year and the median home sales price increased 1.4% to $408,800.
This summer, there’s still ample opportunity to find single-family homes below the median price. Data from three New York-area real estate boards shows pockets of homes below $430,000 across the state. This represents an opportunity for homebuyers to make the move to one of America’s most iconic areas.
Zoocasa analyzed data from NYSAR, the Greater Capital Association of REALTORS® and the Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS® to uncover which counties in New York state could represent the best deal for those looking to break into the market or get a fresh start. The following data uses NYSAR’s New York state April median home sales price of $430,000 as a point of comparison.
Where to Look for Affordable Options if You are Buying a Home in New York
The median home sales price in New York state was $430,000 in April. But in 48 of the state’s 62 counties, buyers can find homes below that threshold, and in some markets, well below it. Prices remained the highest in areas near New York City. Westchester topped out the list at $997,500, followed by Nassau at $829,000.
Beyond the core of the Big Apple, it’s much more affordable to purchase a home. The northeast and southwest areas of New York are 75% to 80% more affordable compared to the most expensive housing market in the state.
The lowest prices were seen in Franklin County, where the median sales price of 16 homes sold in April came out to $123,500. Trailing just behind was Allegany on the southern border, with 23 homes sold and a median home sales price of $132,500.
Several counties in the Finger Lakes area also offer options still well below the national median. This includes places like Monroe County, home to the city of Rochester, with a median home sales price of $280,000. This also encompasses Tompkins County, the location of Cornell University, where homes sold for a median price of $350,000.
Much of central New York also came in below the statewide median sales price in April, especially in Chenango and Herkimer counties, where median sales prices were $147,975 and $189,000, respectively.
Yates and Schuyler Counties Had the Largest Price Increase Percentages Year Over Year
Yates County median home sales prices came out just above the statewide median at $432,500. This price represents a 140.3% increase year over year in the median price of homes sold–the largest increase statewide. Its neighboring county, Schuyler, experienced the second-highest increase year over year at 101%.
Although national and statewide median home sales prices continue to rise, there are still several areas where buyers are at an advantage in New York, according to a formula used by Zoocasa to determine the state of the market.
Here’s Where to Live in New York For the Best Deal
If you’re wondering whether now is a good time to buy, it’s important to know your local market. Zoocasa calculated the level of demand in the housing market for 61 counties in New York with a sales-to-new-listings ratio.
This formula uses the rules of supply and demand to calculate whether the housing market is balanced. If more listings are put on the market than sold, the market is a buyer’s market, giving buyers more leverage in negotiations. SNLR’s below 40% indicate a buyer’s market.
To determine where buyers have the largest advantage in New York, Zoocasa compiled a list of five counties that had the lowest SNLR, indicating a buyer’s market, and the lowest median sales price in April:
- Franklin County, 33.3% SNLR, $123,500 median sales price
- Orleans County, 26.4% SNLR, $155,000 median sales price
- Cortland County, 29.6% SNLR, $210,250 median sales price
- Madison County, 18.4% SNLR, $211,500 median sales price
- Oneida County, 35.4% SNLR, $220,000 median sales price
Although Franklin County had the lowest median sales price, Madison County actually had the lowest SNLR. For buyers, this represents the clearest chance to get their dream home without breaking the bank.
Prices increased more than 15% for several counties in April
Another metric to consider is how much the median home sales price increased year over year. Here are five counties where the median sale price was lower than the statewide average, but the year-over-year median sale price increased by more than 15%:
- Allegany County increased 18.5% to $132,500
- Steuben County increased 17.6% to $172,000
- Chautauqua County increased 23.4% to $179,000
- Herkimer County increased 34.0% to $189,000
- St. Lawrence County increased 46.3% $197,500
Markets like these represent potential growth and investment opportunities for the area. This means homebuyers in these areas scored some of the best deals in the state within the past year.
Thinking about making the move? Zoocasa has thousands of up-to-date listings in the New York area to check out. Browse these listings now!
Methodology
Median single-family home sales prices were sourced from the New York State Association of REALTORS®, the Greater Capital Association of REALTORS® and the Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS® for April 2026.
