From back-and-forth international tension to rampant inflation, the first half of 2026 has been rife with uncertainty for many Americans. Housing, as a leading economic indicator, is often one of the first industries to feel the effects.
Despite this, data from across the United States is showing a few clear winners in home sales growth in the first half of 2026–and a few states lagging behind.
Zoocasa analyzed data from real estate boards across the country to determine which states have seen the most home sales growth so far this year. While some states stuck out for their double-digit growth, others left their mark with double-digit declines. Here’s how the states stack up.
77% of States Saw an Increase in Sales This Summer
Of the 49 states with publicly available data, 38 experienced positive sales growth in their most recent data. The 10 states leading in home sales growth were Idaho, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Alaska, Arkansas, Alabama, Iowa, Vermont, Montana, and Arizona.
Topping the list of highest gains is Idaho’s most populated area, which saw a 20.4% increase in year-over-year sales change in June. Trailing a little farther behind were New Hampshire and Oklahoma, with 12.3% sales growth year over year.
Alabama was the largest state to experience double-digit sales growth with 6,938 sales in May, equating to an 11.7% increase year-over-year. This also landed Alabama a place on our list of the hottest Southern states, based on pending sales data.
Closed sales are only part of the picture when it comes to market performance, but it’s also the metric that reveals the most–where people want to move, and how much they’re willing to pay to make it happen. Based on this data, it’s clear that Idaho is bringing something to the table homebuyers want.
Idaho’s Washington County Sales Increase 65% Year Over Year
Since statewide data for Idaho isn’t available publicly, we examined June data from Boise Regional REALTORS®. As the top-performer nationwide, the metro saw some noteworthy gains in its seven-county area.
Coming in first is Washington County, with a 65.2% increase in sales and a 17.6% price increase year-over-year. By volume, Ada County saw considerably more sales with a 20% increase and a 6% reduction in days on market.
A United Van Lines study from December 2025 found that Idaho was one of the top states people were moving to, the first time Idaho has made the list.
Idaho’s population has grown about 10% in the last five years. Although there’s no definitive reason it’s become so popular, a generally lower cost of living paired with mid-size towns make this Pacific Northwest state an attractive place for homebuyers.
New Hampshire’s East Coast Takeover
New Hampshire stands out on this list as the only East Coast state. Statewide, sales increased 12.3%, while the median sales price went up 1.1%. Overall, the dollar volume of closed sales was 17.3% higher in June year over year.
The most notable change in closed sales was in Belknap County in central New Hampshire, which saw an almost 60% increase annually. By sales volume, the largest change was in Hillsborough County, where about 40 more home sales equaled a 12.2% annual increase.
Oklahoma Rebounds After a Slow Start
Oklahoma was the second-largest state by sales volume with double-digit growth in June, with a 12.3% increase year over year and 4,729 sales. This comes after slow starts earlier this year, where home sales were down 25% year over year in January.
It wasn’t until the late spring that home sales started to increase, leading to the larger gains seen in May and June.
Oklahoma has also become a popular destination for homebuyers, likely due to its lower housing costs and lower cost of living. In June, the median home sold for $263,000–about $180,000 lower than the national average.
Alaska’s Luxury Market Swells 64% in June
Since statewide data was not available for Alaska, we pulled data from Anchorage, the state’s largest metro area.
Alongside a 12.2% increase in closed sales year over year, the area also saw a 6.5% increase in its median sales price and about 25% fewer active listings.
The luxury market in particular showed large gains, with a 64.3% increase year-over-year in homes sold over $850,000. Additionally, there was a 180% increase year over year in the number of homes sold over $1 million, with 14 sales.
Data also shows that several neighborhoods lean heavily in favor of sellers, with the average number of days on market as low as four days in some areas in Q1.
Sales Increase 12% in Northwest Arkansas
Although data for total sales in Arkansas is not publicly available, the Northwest Arkansas Board of REALTORS® is the largest board in the state. Representing Benton and Washington counties, the two areas collectively saw a 12.1% increase in closed sales year over year in June. Despite the sale increases, prices fell by 2.9% in Benton County and 0.8% in Washington County.
3 States Saw Double-Digit Decline in June
Although many states saw year-over-year gains in early summer, a handful found themselves with significant sales decreases.
The most significant decline was in Rhode Island, which experienced a 19.8% decline in sales in May.
South Dakota also saw a 14% decrease in year over year sales, with a total of 428 closings.
New York had 7,156 closed sales, an 11.6% decrease despite its sales volume being so much larger than both Rhode Island and South Dakota.
For both New York and Rhode Island, the cause of lower home sales could be in part due to ongoing affordability issues and a lack of housing supply, driving up prices and putting homeownership out of reach for many median-earning families.
What Growing Home Sales Mean In the Long-Term
Real estate markets are usually hottest in spring and early summer, when families are looking to relocate before the next school year begins. For residential home markets, this means the peaks seen in May and June could be some of the highest this year–but only time will tell.
As markets cool heading into the fall, the last six months of the year will prove whether these markets will continue to outperform their peers or fall back behind the curve.
Are you looking to make the move to a new home? Zoocasa can help. Start your search today!
Methodology
Data for this report was pulled from the most up-to-date data as of July 17. Statewide boards were prioritized when data was available. In areas where statewide reports were unavailable, Zoocasa pulled information from the largest REALTOR® Board with publicly available data. Exact sources used for data are available in graphic sources.
