Important points
Cook County continued to be a seller’s market in May. Inventory was down, prices were rising faster than the national pace, and nearly half of the homes were sold above list price. Median sales price reached $388,834, up 5% year-over-year and more than double the national price increase. More than half of the properties went under contract within two weeks, reflecting buyers’ persistent impatience.
A Snapshot of the Cook County, Illinois Housing Market
Median Sales Price Pending Sales Active Listing Days Days on Market Sold on List $388,834 (+5.1% YoY) 6,543 (+2.8% YoY) 20,750 (-3.4% YoY) 46 days (-2 days YoY) 49.0% (+2.5 ppt YoY)
Cook County’s housing market tilted heavily toward sellers in May. Prices rose, inventory shrunk, and buyers competed for fewer available homes. The combination of reduced supply and steady demand pushed the median sales price to more than $388,000, with nearly half of all listings exceeding the asking price. If you’re considering buying here, act quickly and be prepared to pay a premium.
Here’s what the May 2026 Cook County, Illinois data shows and what buyers and sellers need to know heading into summer.
A snapshot of the US housing market
Median Sales Price Pending On Sale Active Listing Days Balance of Buyers and Sellers on Market $398,771 (+2.0% YoY) 349,901 (+4.4% YoY) 1,483,839 (+0.7% YoY) 49 Days (+3 Days YoY) Number of sellers outnumber buyers by 47%
Nationwide, the housing market continued to see a gradual thaw. Prices were up 2% year-over-year, pending sales were up and inventories were roughly flat. But the gap between Cook County and its peers has widened. Local prices rose more than twice as fast, inventory held steady elsewhere but shrunk here, and homes sold faster in Cook County than the national median price.
“Many cities are experiencing a multi-year reset from the pandemic, with slowing price growth and rising inventories, contributing to improved affordability as wages rise,” said Chen Zhao, head of economic research at Redfin. “Pending home sales have increased over the past three months, an early sign that buyers and sellers are starting to re-enter the market. But economic instability related to the Iran war has everyone on edge.”
Cook County prices once again outpace the nation.
The median sales price in Cook County in May reached $388,834, an increase of 5.1% from a year ago. Nationwide, the price increase rate was only 2%. Cook County is up about 45% since the start of 2020, and the pace of growth remains high even as the post-pandemic enthusiasm fades. Median price per square foot rose 7% year-over-year to $260, suggesting true value growth rather than a shift to larger homes.
Price reductions remained small. Only 9.6% of Cook County’s active listings had price reductions, down from 11% a year ago and well below the national average. The typical home sold for 1.3% above list price, confirming that sellers were confident in setting asking prices and buyers were meeting or exceeding those prices.
Half of Cook County properties go under contract in two weeks
More than half (50.9%) of Cook County properties went under contract within two weeks in May, compared to 31.9% nationally. This nearly 20 percentage point difference has persisted since 2021 and reflects sustained local demand that consistently outpaces the rest of the country. Cook County off-market two-week rates were flat year-over-year, while national rates rose by just 0.2 percentage points.
Attesting to that speed, pending sales increased 2.8% year-over-year, homes sold increased 1.1%, and the median number of days on market decreased to 46 days (down 2 days year-over-year). Nationally, days on market went in the opposite direction, rising to 49 days. This combination presents a clear picture. Cook County buyers continued to move quickly, and high-priced listings rarely lasted long.
Inventories are tight while other regions of the country are performing well
The number of active listings was down 3.4% year-on-year to 20,750, while national inventory remained roughly flat (+0.7%). The number of new listings was flat year-on-year at 6,857, meaning there was no new wave of supply to ease the pressure. The number of days of available inventory decreased from 40 days a year ago to 39 days, confirming that homes are being absorbed before they can accumulate.
Cook County has just under three months of supply, which is significantly lower than the national supply of nearly four months. This level usually favors sellers. Buyers who shop here face a market where demand outstrips new inventory, and there is no obvious benefit to waiting for more options to emerge.
The top tier led the price increase, but the bottom tier stagnated.
Median Price Tier (YoY) Sold (YoY) DOM (YoY) Listing Rate (YoY) Luxury (Top 5%) $1,538,890 (+4.3%) 991 (+5.2%) 44 days (-5 days) 44.7% (+9.1 ppt) High price (65-95%) $622,337 (+6.0%) 4,570 (+1.6%) 41 days (-3 days) 55.3% (+4.8 ppt) Non-luxury (35-65%) $366,688 (+4.6%) 3,721 (-0.8%) 48 days (0 days) 49.9% (+1.5 ppt) Starter (5-35%) $230,351 (+4.0%) 4,034 (-1.0%) 56 days (0 days) 37.3% (-0.8 ppt) Bottom (bottom 5%) $104,193 (+0.1%) 722 (-9.8%) 69 days (+8 days) 22.9% (-0.9 ppt)
Redfin Analysis of MLS Data • Rolling 3-month period (March-May 2026)
The top tier rose the fastest, at 6% year-on-year, with more than half of the homes sold above listing. Luxury homes (median price $1.54 million) grew 4.3%, with above-list sales accelerating dramatically, rising 9 points to nearly 45%. Volume in the luxury sector also increased by 5.2%, bucking the broader trend of flat to declining volumes in the lower tiers.
At the bottom, prices were flat and sales were down nearly 10%. Homes in this tier sat for 69 days, 25 days more than those in the top tier, and fewer than a quarter sold for more than their asking price. Starter homes had a middling performance. Prices were up 4%, but volumes were down 1% and above-listing activity was modest. Top-tier buyers faced fierce competition. Those shopping in the lower price range had more room to bargain.
How buyers and sellers can navigate the Cook County market
When shopping in Cook County, preparation is more important than patience. Inventory is decreasing rather than increasing, and half of the homes go under contract within two weeks. Please prepare funds before starting the tour. For homes in good locations, be prepared to offer more than the list price. Focus your energy on the right layers. Competition is most intense in the high-end and high-end home segments, but there is a little more room for negotiation in starter homes and lower-end homes.
When it comes to selling, the data supports being able to price with confidence, but not recklessly. The average home sold for 1.3% above listing, and less than 10% of listings required a price reduction. If you set your prices accurately from day one, you’re more likely to get offers right away. If you overshoot, you risk being one of the few properties left standing while the rest of the market moves on.
Cook County, Illinois Market Data by City
Rolling three-month period (March to May 2026). Displays cities with 50 or more sales. Click the column header you want to sort.
New sales listings for the city’s median sales price (year-over-year). Percentage of active DOM above supply Chicago $419,749 (+6.3% YoY) 7,136 9,714 15,478 47 46.9% 3.1 Evanston $426,745 (-11.1% YoY) 256 309 456 38 47.7% 2.1 Arlington Heights $501,700 (+5.6% YoY) 255 355 493 39 53.5% 2.6 Tinley Park $339,797 (+3.0% YoY) 248 308 474 43 44.7% 2.5 Schaumburg $320,808 (+2.5% YoY) 246 344 489 43 50.1% 2.8 Palatine $384,770 (+9.3% YoY) 232 313 432 43 50.1% 2.5 Orland Park $384,720 (+5.8% YoY) 201 306 437 44 43.5% 3.4 Oak Park $499,701 (+0.6% YoY) 198 254 354 42 53.5% 2.2 Oak Lawn $309,815 (+1.6% YoY) 173 264 425 59 36.2% 3.8 Skokie $449,731 (+5.0% YoY) 165 242 349 42 44.2% 3.1 Des Plaines $374,776 (+1.2% YoY) 163 231 341 47 47.9% 2.9 Hoffman Estates $410,005 (+1.9% YoY) 152 225 303 43 52.8% 2.8 Streamwood $329,803 (-1.6% YoY) 148 166 254 45 53.6% 2.2 Glenview $811,015 (+20.6% YoY) 148 184 270 35 55.0% 2.2 Mount Prospect $465,721 (+8.1% YoY) 140 207 281 45 53.4% 2.9 Northbrook $677,844 (-3.1% YoY) 133 196 290 44 52.4% 3.0 Park Ridge $651,860 (+16.4% YoY) 131 176 248 45 43.1% 2.5 Wilmette $1,279,234 (+6.2% YoY) 118 151 209 35 61.9% 1.8 Berwyn $374,776 (-3.4% YoY) 110 135 242 60 47.8% 3.3 Elk Grove Village $375,775 (-2.0% YoY) 108 136 186 41 50.6% 2.2 Wheeling $299,821 (-7.7% YoY) 96 116 195 58 38.4% 2.9 Lansing $199,880 (-4.8% YoY) 89 141 250 61 39.2% 5.2 Oak Forest $317,310 (+6.7% YoY) 88 106 164 53 46.6% 2.6 Elmwood Park $370,778 (+5.2% YoY) 87 109 171 51 41.3% 2.6 Southern Netherlands $215,871 (-1.9% YoY) 86 93 218 94 32.2% 3.9 Calumet City $169,399 (-1.4%) 85 117 301 100 43.5% 6.5 Niles $435,989 (+26.4% YoY) 84 106 165 50 45.2% 2.4 Morton Grove $474,716 (+10.4% YoY) 83 108 161 46 38.4% 2.6 Park Forest $165,901 (+12.9% YoY) 73 113 242 77 35.3% 6.6 Homewood $247,202 (+6.6% YoY) 71 116 219 67 27.6% 5.1 Palos Hills $304,818 (+14.5% YoY) 67 89 148 52 38.5% 3.4 Rolling Meadows $359,785 (+6.6% YoY) 66 105 146 42 50.1% 3.4 Cicero $332,301 (+7.2% YoY) 66 97 185 61 39.2% 4.9 Burbank $311,813 (-2.6% YoY) 63 87 148 53 42.7% 3.8 Westchester $393,764 (+5.0% YoY) 61 82 116 40 66.8% 2.3 Dalton $149,910 (-11.8% from previous year) 61 91 218 94 36.8% 6.7 Forest Park $346,293 (-8.3% from previous year) 61 77 128 43 45.1% 3.2 Western Springs $1,080,403 (+18.1% from previous year) 61 80 109 38 53.5% 2.1 River Forest $669,599 (+1.1% YoY) 59 56 93 43 41.5% 1.4 Chicago Heights $192,885 (+2.1% YoY) 57 93 182 73 46.5% 5.3 Prospect Heights $351,290 (+5.5% YoY) 57 71 102 52 41.2% 2.3 Palos Heights $329,803 (-9.6% YoY) 56 72 108 47 32.8% 2.6 Evergreen Park $330,802 (+10.3% YoY) 55 75 118 64 53.8% 3.0 Brookfield $394,764 (+3.6% YoY) 54 73 102 39 56.7% 2.6 Matheson $259,844 (+8.3% YoY) 54 72 150 88 24.6% 4.8 La Grange $587,149 (+6.8% YoY) 53 76 106 45 63.6% 2.8 Winnetka $1,878,876 (+10.5% YoY) 53 58 86 30 61.7% 1.2 Country Club Hills $237,808 (+24.5% YoY) 53 103 190 63 38.5% 6.3 Barrington $594,644 (+0.2% YoY) 51 77 106 45 26.1% 2.9 Markham $154,907 (-6.1% YoY) 50 80 156 77 49.1% 5.9
This article was created in whole or in part using generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology with input from Chen Zhao, Head of Economic Research at Redfin. While efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of this information, you should independently verify all data, facts, and quotes contained in this article before relying on the information for any purpose. This information is not intended to substitute for advice from a real estate agent, financial advisor, or other qualified professional. County-level data are not seasonally adjusted. For more detailed housing market data, check out the Redfin Data Center.
