(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s housing market is starting 2026 in the same place it ended 2025.
The latest Realtors Report shows houses became more expensive and harder to find in January.
“New listings fell significantly in January, leading to tighter inventory statewide. This resulted in fewer existing home sales and higher home prices relative to a year ago. Specifically, Wisconsin’s existing home sales fell 3.9% compared to January 2025, and the median price rose 7.9% over that same period to $315,000,” the Realtors wrote.
Wisconsin saw just 3,484 homes sold in January, and just 4,969 homes listed. The Realtors said those homes spent an average of 90 days on the market.
Wisconsin has faced a shortage of houses for sale for years, and 2026 is not looking to be any different.
One sign of hope, however, is that interest rates are falling.
“The spike in mortgage rates that began in 2022 saw rates topping out over 7%, and as a result, affordability fell to record-low levels. We really didn’t start seeing improvement until the middle of last year. Since June 2025, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate has fallen by nearly three quarters of a percent to 6.1%, and the Wisconsin Housing Affordability Index has increased nearly 16%,” Realtors President Tom Larson added. “Hopefully these improvements in affordability continue.”
As usual, Wisconsin’s housing market is skewed by regions.
Most of the homes that were sold were sold in either the Madison or Milwaukee areas. With 1,120 homes sold in southeast Wisconsin, and another 731 homes sold in south-central Wisconsin.
Those are also the places where homes are the most expensive. Houses in the Madison-area had the highest median price at $374,900. Southeast Wisconsin had the second highest median price in the state, with a price tag of $325,000. Northern Wisconsin remains the most affordable part of the state, with a median price of $239,450.
