Denver Market Analysis · September 29, 2026
Denver Home Values vs. Sale Prices in 2026
Modeled values and observed transaction medians answer different questions and can move in different directions.
Zillow reported a $524,695 typical Denver home value through August, down 2.1% year over year. ZHVI is designed to measure monthly changes in property-level modeled values across the housing stock. It therefore answers a different question than the midpoint of homes that happened to sell.
Evidence snapshot
| Metric | Value | Period | Definition or limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value (ZHVI) | $524,695 | Aug. 31, 2026 | Modeled home-value index, not a median sale price |
| One-year ZHVI change | -2.1% | Year over year | Change in Zillow's modeled index |
| Median sale price | $619,090 | Three months ending Aug. 2026 | All home types; Redfin calculations from MLS and/or public records |
| Median sold price | $555,000 | Aug. 2026 | Completed-sale measure; down 3.48% year over year |
| Year-to-date median sales price | $684,500 | Through Aug. 2026 | Up 1.4% from the same 2025 period |
| Year-to-date median sales price | $390,000 | Through Aug. 2026 | Down 1.3% from the same 2025 period |
Transaction medians depend on what closed
Redfin reported a $619,090 median sale price for the three months ending August. Realtor.com reported an August median sold price of $555,000. The period and provider coverage differ. A shift toward more expensive or less expensive homes in the completed-sale mix can move the median.
The Denver property-type split shows the composition issue
DMAR's year-to-date median through August was $684,500 for single-family homes and $390,000 for townhouses and condos. The detached measure was up 1.4% from the same 2025 period, while the attached measure was down 1.3%. A combined number can obscure both directions.
How to use the measures responsibly
Use an index to discuss broad value movement, transaction medians to describe the homes that sold, and comparable sales to analyze a specific property. Do not convert an index change directly into a dollar change for one home without checking its market segment, condition, and recent comparable evidence.
Companion Report
Denver Home Prices Explained: Value, Ask, and Closed Sale
Why a modeled value, a median list price, and a median closed-sale price answer different questions.
Questions readers ask
Is Denver's typical home value $524,695 or its sale price $619,090?
Both figures were published, but they measure different things and periods.
Can sale-price growth rise while a value index falls?
Yes. Transaction mix, time window, and model construction can produce different directions.
What should a homeowner use for an individual estimate?
A current property-specific analysis based on relevant comparable sales and competition.
Sources and scope
- Zillow Denver Housing MarketDenver city data through August 31, 2026, with July 2026 sale metrics
- Redfin Denver Housing MarketDenver city data for the three months ending August 2026, with August 2026 sales count
- Realtor.com Denver Market TrendsDenver city and county portal data through August 2026
- DMAR and Colorado Association of REALTORS® Denver Local Market UpdateDenver city, August 2026 and year to date through August 2026; REcolorado® and IRES® data
This article reports broad city or metro evidence exactly as labeled. It does not establish a neighborhood, luxury, architectural-style, or individual-property result unless the cited source uses that matching population.