Is the housing market slowing down in Boston, MA?
Yes — sales activity in Boston, MA is down. 3,375 homes sold during May 2026, against 3,745 in the same months a year earlier, a drop of 10%.
This page is about how many homes changed hands, not what they cost. The two move separately: prices are set by the homes that did sell, and volume tells you how many people managed to transact at all. A market can hold its prices while activity quietly drains out of it.
The change clears both tests we require before naming a direction: it is more than 3% in relative terms, and it is larger than the ordinary month-to-month variation you would expect on a market that sells 3,375 homes at a time.
The longer view, all measured over the May window so the season is held constant: 3,634 homes sold two years ago, 3,745 last year, 3,375 now. Across two years the level has held roughly steady.
What is on the shelf next to what is selling: 8,830 homes were on the market in Boston, MA, and 3,375 sold. At that pace it would take about 2.6 months to clear them all. There are more buyers than homes for sale. Sellers have the edge.
Every comparison on this page is to the SAME calendar months a year earlier, never to last month. Home sales roughly double between January and May in most of the country, so a month-over-month reading would tell you about the season and nothing about the market.
Source: Redfin's published market data for the Boston, MA area, through May 2026.
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More about the Boston, MA market
- When is the best month to sell a house in Boston, MA?
- How long does it take to sell a house in Boston, MA?
- Do homes sell above asking price in Boston, MA?
- Are home prices going up or down in Boston, MA?
- Is Boston, MA a buyer's market or a seller's market?
- Are sellers cutting prices in Boston, MA?
- What is the average home price in Boston, MA?
- How many homes are for sale in Boston, MA?
- All Boston, MA housing numbers
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Figures come from Redfin's published market data for the Boston, MA area, through May 2026. Neighborhood Numbers is an independent data publisher and is not affiliated with Redfin. We update these pages when Redfin publishes, once a month.