Updated October 2026
North Dakota housing inventory stopped growing in 2026. Realtor.com counted 2,182 active listings statewide in August 2026, down 2% from 2,226 in August 2025 but still 9% above the 2,004 of August 2024, even though sellers put about 3% more new listings on the market this year. More homes are coming up for sale, and buyers are absorbing them faster than they did in 2025.
Williston is moving the other way: active listings in the Williston area jumped from 72 to 95 year over year, the deepest August selection we have seen in three years, while homes there still sell in about 48 days.
How does North Dakota housing inventory in 2026 compare to 2025 and 2024?
Short version: 2025 was the year inventory built up, and 2026 is the year it leveled off. I lined up the same month, August, across all three years so seasonality does not muddy the picture. These are Realtor.com figures published through the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED) North Dakota active listing series, which counts single-family homes, condos, and townhomes.
| North Dakota (August) | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2026 vs 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active listings | 2,004 | 2,226 | 2,182 | Down 2% |
| New listings, Jan to Aug total | 6,490 | 6,154 | 6,354 | Up 3% |
| Listings with a price cut | 544 | 676 | 628 | Down 7% |
| Share of listings with a price cut | 27.1% | 30.4% | 28.8% | Fewer cuts |
| Median days on market | 52 | 57 | 55 | Slightly faster |
| Median listing price | $369,820 | $369,900 | $372,500 | Up about 1% |
Source: Realtor.com via FRED. Statewide residential listings; excludes pending sales, land, and commercial property.
The surprising row is the second one. If sellers listed more homes in 2026 than in 2025, you would expect the active count to rise. It fell instead. That only happens when buyers are taking listings off the market faster, and the price cut and days on market rows back that up. You can check the new listing count and the price reduced count yourself; both come from the same Realtor.com feed.
Buyers still have more to choose from than they did in 2024, but the 2025 window, when nearly a third of listings were cutting price, is narrowing. Sellers who price right are back to getting reasonable timelines.
Why did North Dakota inventory peak in 2025 and pull back in 2026?
That shift from build-up to balance is clearest when you watch the months, not just the August snapshot. Statewide inventory peaked at 2,323 active listings in October 2025, the highest point in the three years of data. Then the 2026 spring market started thinner: by June 2026 there were 1,875 active listings versus 2,033 a year earlier, roughly 8% fewer, and May showed the same gap.
Two things drove it. First, new listings ran ahead of 2025 in May and June 2026, so supply was not the problem. Second, those listings went under contract instead of piling up. When our team at Proven Realty compared notes this summer, the pattern was consistent: well priced properties in move-in condition drew activity in the first two weekends, and the listings that lingered were the ones priced off 2024 expectations.
Rates are part of the backdrop too. I covered where they stand in my post on mortgage rates in 2026, and the short version is that buyers stopped waiting for a dramatic drop and started moving on what the payment actually looks like today.
If you are timing a sale, the data says spring and early summer is when North Dakota inventory is lowest and buyers are most active. If you are buying, fall is when the count climbs and sellers get more flexible.
Statewide numbers cannot tell you what is happening on your street. Send me your address or the area you are shopping, and I will pull the live listings, recent sales, and days on market for that exact pocket.
Is housing inventory in Williston rising or falling in 2026?
Williston breaks from the statewide story, which is exactly why a statewide headline can mislead someone buying or selling here. The Realtor.com count for the Williston area shows 95 active listings in August 2026, up from 72 a year earlier and 79 in August 2024.
| Williston area (August) | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2026 vs 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active listings | 79 | 72 | 95 | Up 32% |
| Median days on market | 46 | 50 | 48 | About the same |
| Median listing price | $395,000 | $385,000 | $427,500 | Up 11% |
Source: Realtor.com via FRED, Williston ND micropolitan area (Williams County). Small counts swing month to month; read direction, not decimals.
More listings, higher asking prices, and steady days on market tells me the mix shifted toward newer and larger homes rather than a flood of distressed supply. The median listing price for the Williston area moved up, and the median days on market held under 50. I unpack what pushes Western North Dakota prices in what is driving North Dakota property prices.
Watford City and the rest of McKenzie County do not get their own Realtor.com series, so there is no clean public number to put in a table. What I can tell you from our own deal flow is that McKenzie County inventory stays thin and moves with oilfield staffing more than with statewide trends.
Williston buyers have real choice right now. Williston sellers face more competition than last year, so condition and pricing matter more than they did in 2025.
What does the 2026 inventory shift mean for investors, land buyers, and commercial owners?
Every number above counts houses, condos, and townhomes only. Land, shops, industrial yards, and commercial buildings are not in the Realtor.com data at all, and that matters in the Bakken, where acreage, shop condos, and income property are a regular part of what we handle at Proven Realty.
For rental investors, a residential market where listings sell faster and price cuts are shrinking usually means steady tenant demand, because would-be buyers are competing rather than sitting out. For land and commercial buyers, tighter residential supply tends to push builders and operators toward lots and shop space. If you are weighing North Dakota against neighboring states for any of this, my comparison of North Dakota vs South Dakota costs in 2026 is a good companion read.
Do not use the residential inventory count to price a shop, a quarter section, or a fourplex. Those markets need their own comps, and they rarely move in lockstep with houses.
Is North Dakota inventory following the national trend?
No, and that is the part most national coverage misses. U.S. active listings rose 21% from August 2024 to August 2025 and kept climbing another 4% into August 2026, to about 1.14 million. North Dakota rose half as fast in 2025 and then turned slightly lower in 2026.
In plain terms, much of the country is still adding supply while North Dakota has already found its balance. Buyers moving here from a larger metro should not assume they will find the same negotiating room they had back home. If you are planning that move, start with my guide on how to buy a property in North Dakota.
North Dakota housing inventory questions people are asking
Is North Dakota housing inventory up or down in 2026?
Slightly down from 2025 and still up from 2024. Realtor.com counted 2,182 active listings in August 2026 versus 2,226 in August 2025 and 2,004 in August 2024. The drop came from faster sales, not fewer sellers.
Is it a buyer's or seller's market in North Dakota in 2026?
It is closer to balanced than either. Price cuts fell from 30.4% of listings in August 2025 to 28.8% in August 2026, and median days on market dipped from 57 to 55. Sellers have regained a little leverage, but buyers still have more options than in 2024.
When is the best time of year to buy in North Dakota?
Fall typically offers the most inventory. In each of the last three years, statewide listings climbed through late summer and peaked in October before falling sharply in winter and early spring.
How many homes are for sale in Williston, ND?
Realtor.com showed 95 active listings in the Williston area in August 2026, up from 72 a year earlier. Counts change weekly, so check current listings or ask a local agent for the live number.
Are North Dakota home prices still rising with more inventory?
Statewide, barely: the median listing price was $372,500 in August 2026, about 1% above 2025. Williston saw a bigger jump to $427,500, which reflects more higher-end listings coming to market.
Does the inventory data include land and commercial property?
No. The Realtor.com series counts single-family homes, condos, and townhomes only. Land, acreage, shops, and commercial buildings need separate local comps.
Why does North Dakota inventory differ from the national trend?
North Dakota never saw the large 2025 surge much of the country did. U.S. listings rose 21% that year versus about 11% here, so there was less excess supply to work through in 2026.
Here is what changed since 2025: North Dakota did not run out of homes, it ran out of stale ones. Sellers are listing more, buyers are taking them faster, and Williston is the rare spot where selection is genuinely better than a year ago. If you have been waiting for the right moment to move on a property here, the data says this fall is a good one.
EP
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What does 2026 inventory mean for your property?
Tell me what you own or what you are looking for, and I will give you my honest read on timing and price.
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