Updated July 2026Zillow Research
Austin vs Houston: real estate market, July 2026
A side-by-side housing-market snapshot for Austin, TX and Houston, TX for July 2026: Houston at a $307K median versus $563K in Austin, plus days to pending and the buyer-vs-seller balance, built on Zillow Research figures.
| Metric | Austin, TX | Houston, TX |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $563K ▲ +1.6% | $307K ▲ +0.3% |
| Days to pending | 76 ▲ +2.7% | 71 ▲ +12.7% |
| Homes for sale | 5,481 ▼ -10.0% | 13,082 ▲ +0.9% |
| Sale-to-list | 97.2% ▲ +0.3% | 97.2% ▼ -0.1% |
| Months of supply (est.) | 5.4 ▼ -3.2% | 3.9 ▼ -0.6% |
| Homes sold (est.) | 1,980 ▲ +1.4% | 4,210 ▲ +0.3% |
(est.) = LOKAL estimate, not published by the source at city level.
Metro figures from Zillow Research, ZIP figures from Zillow Research where published, otherwise from the last public Redfin release (each post names its source). Verify against your MLS before posting.
The verdict
As of July 2026, Houston is the more affordable of the two at a $306,754 median sale price, about 46% below Austin ($562,880). Houston is the faster-moving market, with homes going under contract in about 71 days versus 76 in Austin.
Which market fits your client?
For a buyer client, Austin offers a little more breathing room, with an estimated 5.4 months of supply against 3.9 in Houston, which usually means less bidding pressure. For a seller client, Houston is the tighter market, with a 97.2% sale-to-list ratio. On price momentum, Austin is appreciating faster (+1.6% vs +0.3% year over year).
How we compare these markets
We built LOKAL to pull Austin's and Houston's numbers straight from Zillow Research, so an agent and a client compare like for like. For July 2026 we recorded a $307K median in Houston and a $563K median in Austin, against roughly $306K a year earlier in 2025. Zillow Research has published these city-level series monthly since 2018, which is what lets us show year-over-year change here in 2026. For complementary demographics on each metro (population and median household income), see the U.S. Census Bureau. LOKAL is independent and not affiliated with Zillow; always verify against your MLS before you publish.
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Full Austin and Houston market updates
Frequently asked
- Is Austin or Houston more affordable?
- As of July 2026, Houston is the more affordable market at a $306,754 median sale price, about 46% below Austin ($562,880), per Zillow Research.
- Which market moves faster, Austin or Houston?
- Houston moves faster: a typical listing goes under contract in about 71 days, versus 76 days in Austin (July 2026).
- Is Austin or Houston better for buyers right now?
- Austin gives buyers a little more room, with an estimated 5.4 months of supply versus 3.9 in Houston. More months of supply usually means less competition and more negotiating leverage for buyers.
- Where do these Austin and Houston numbers come from?
- Both metros draw on Zillow Research, refreshed monthly. LOKAL turns the figures into a ready-to-post carousel, story and square for either city. LOKAL is not affiliated with Zillow; always verify against your local MLS before quoting figures to clients.
More Austin comparisons
Data from Zillow Research. Figures are metro-level snapshots, not valuations for a specific home.