Updated July 2026Zillow Research
San Francisco vs Seattle: real estate market, July 2026
A side-by-side housing-market snapshot for San Francisco, CA and Seattle, WA for July 2026: Seattle at a $843K median versus $1.55M in San Francisco, plus days to pending and the buyer-vs-seller balance, built on Zillow Research figures.
| Metric | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $1.55M ▲ +12.1% | $843K ▼ -1.1% |
| Days to pending | 33 ▼ -25.0% | 41 ▲ +13.9% |
| Homes for sale | 893 ▼ -28.1% | 2,771 ▲ +7.0% |
| Sale-to-list | 117.2% ▲ +9.1% | 100.4% ▼ -0.3% |
| Months of supply (est.) | 2.1 ▼ -24.2% | 2.3 ▲ +2.2% |
| Homes sold (est.) | 720 ▲ +10.9% | 1,640 ▼ -1.0% |
(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, Seattle is the more affordable of the two at a $842,613 median sale price, about 46% below San Francisco ($1,547,623). San Francisco is the faster-moving market, with homes going under contract in about 33 days versus 41 in Seattle.
Which market fits your client?
For a buyer client, Seattle offers a little more breathing room, with an estimated 2.3 months of supply against 2.1 in San Francisco, which usually means less bidding pressure. For a seller client, San Francisco is the tighter market, with a 117.2% sale-to-list ratio. On price momentum, San Francisco is appreciating faster (+12.1% vs -1.1% year over year).
How we compare these markets
We built LOKAL to pull San Francisco's and Seattle's numbers straight from Zillow Research, so an agent and a client compare like for like. For July 2026 we recorded a $843K median in Seattle and a $1.55M median in San Francisco, against roughly $852K 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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LOKAL builds the finished carousel, story and square, with these Zillow Research figures already in place, for San Francisco or Seattle.
Full San Francisco and Seattle market updates
Frequently asked
- Is San Francisco or Seattle more affordable?
- As of July 2026, Seattle is the more affordable market at a $842,613 median sale price, about 46% below San Francisco ($1,547,623), per Zillow Research.
- Which market moves faster, San Francisco or Seattle?
- San Francisco moves faster: a typical listing goes under contract in about 33 days, versus 41 days in Seattle (July 2026).
- Is San Francisco or Seattle better for buyers right now?
- Seattle gives buyers a little more room, with an estimated 2.3 months of supply versus 2.1 in San Francisco. More months of supply usually means less competition and more negotiating leverage for buyers.
- Where do these San Francisco and Seattle 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 San Francisco comparisons
Data from Zillow Research. Figures are metro-level snapshots, not valuations for a specific home.