Sandy-area homebuyers face a new price ceiling: the median single-family home in Salt Lake County sold for $645,000 in the second quarter of 2026, a record high and a 4.88% jump from the same period a year ago.

The Salt Lake Board of Realtors released the data July 22. Sandy is within Salt Lake County, and while the board's report does not break out Sandy-specific prices, the countywide figure reflects the market conditions local buyers and sellers face.

More sales, but slower pace

County single-family sales totaled 2,334 units in the quarter, up 4.62% from 2,231 a year earlier, with strong gains in South Jordan, West Jordan, and Taylorsville. Homes took slightly longer to move, averaging 48 days on market compared with 45 days in the second quarter of 2025.

New listings across all housing types rose 3.56% year over year, expanding options for buyers. But mortgage rates are compounding the affordability squeeze. The average 30-year fixed rate stood at 6.55% the week of July 16, back to its highest level in nearly a year after dipping earlier in 2026, according to CNN.

National Association of Realtors chief economist Lawrence Yun said on July 16 that "the highest mortgage rates in nearly a year and the record-high national median home price together are contributing to a tepid housing market that is especially difficult for first-time homebuyers."

How Salt Lake County compares

Salt Lake County outpaced its neighbors. Davis County's median single-family price fell 1.57% to $568,450. Utah County slipped 0.83% to $600,000. Tooele County dropped 1.52% to $487,495. Only Weber County joined Salt Lake in posting gains, rising 3.11% to $499,000.

Condos offer a cheaper entry point

Buyers priced out of single-family homes are turning to condominiums. Salt Lake County recorded 862 condo sales in the quarter, up 4.11%, but the median condo price fell 2.81% to $417,900. That puts the gap between a median condo and a median house at roughly $227,000.

Realtor.com's Q2 2026 market report classified the Salt Lake City-Murray metro as "Early Balanced (loosening)," meaning conditions are gradually shifting in buyers' favor. In June, nearly one in four active listings in the metro carried a price reduction: 25.9% compared with 18.8% nationally.

Sandy's housing push in context

The countywide price trend underscores the conditions that drove Sandy's recent push for more housing options. In March, the City Council voted 4-3 to rezone a 0.65-acre single-family lot near 8600 South and 1000 East for a duplex and fourplex. Councilmember Marci Houseman said before the March 10 vote that the project "may not be what everybody wants, but it is something we need in Sandy."

That rezone aligns with the council's housing policy framework, which lists boosting homeownership as a top priority while maintaining neighborhood character. The Cairns downtown redevelopment district is part of the same broader effort to expand Sandy's housing and commercial base.

The Salt Lake Board of Realtors publishes data quarterly; the Q3 2026 report covering July through September will provide the next snapshot of where prices are heading.