NH Seacoast Market Brief — August 2026
Each of the five towns in this brief had more single-family homes for sale in August 2026 than in August 2025. Sale-price medians moved in different directions. Portsmouth and Dover reported higher medians; Hampton, Exeter and Rye reported lower ones. The number and mix of homes sold matter when reading those changes.
This first Seacoast Market Brief brings together the published New Hampshire REALTORS® Local Market Updates for Portsmouth, Hampton, Exeter, Dover and Rye. It covers single-family homes during August 2026, using published source data current as of September 5, 2026. These five town reports are a starting point for comparison, not a combined statistic for the entire Seacoast.
Compare Seacoast towns · Explore the Seacoast and current homes
Prices and sales: read the sample size first
Each percentage below compares the median with August 2025. Follow a town's report for all monthly and year-to-date figures.
| Town | Sales | Median price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth | 15 | $963,000 | +21.9% |
| Hampton | 18 | $817,500 | −4.9% |
| Exeter | 5 | $544,900 | −25.9% |
| Dover | 24 | $660,000 | +30.7% |
| Rye | 8 | $1,475,000 | −3.3% |
Exeter's median reflects five closings, compared with 11 in August 2025. Rye's reflects eight, compared with six a year earlier. In samples this small, the properties that close can substantially change the midpoint. A change in the town median is not a measurement of appreciation or depreciation for an individual home.
Portsmouth had 15 closings, up from 13, while Dover had 24, up from 21. Their higher medians describe those transactions. They do not establish that every neighborhood or property type experienced the same change.
Inventory and timing: compare each town separately
Inventory is the number of single-family homes for sale in the published August report. Today's search results cover a different date and may include different property types.
| Town | 2026 homes | 2025 homes | 2026 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth | 41 | 30 | 28 |
| Hampton | 34 | 32 | 22 |
| Exeter | 20 | 14 | 10 |
| Dover | 51 | 39 | 17 |
| Rye | 20 | 16 | 31 |
Dover reported 37 new listings in August, compared with 25 a year earlier. Portsmouth reported 15, compared with 23. Both had more inventory than in August 2025. New listings and inventory measure different things; read both before drawing conclusions about the choices available to a buyer.
Days on market measures the average time from listing to an accepted offer. The figures above describe the reported activity, not how long a particular home will take to sell.
If you are buying on the Seacoast
Use the reports to frame a shortlist, then compare current properties with recent similar sales. Hold the property type, condition and key features as consistent as possible. A town median cannot tell you whether an individual listing is a good fit or appropriately priced.
If you are choosing between a condo and a detached home, compare association costs and responsibilities alongside maintenance, utilities and the property's tax bill. The tables in this brief cover single-family homes; they should not be used as condo-market statistics.
Portsmouth homes · Hampton homes · Exeter homes · Dover homes · Rye homes
If you are selling a Seacoast home
Start with your home's condition, location and current competition. The different town results make a property-specific review especially useful. Discuss preparation, timing and recent comparable sales before choosing an asking price.
If you are also buying, bring both timelines into the same conversation. A plan for the next home should account for your sale, your move date and the work each property may need.
Plan your purchase or sale with Michael Bean · Explore selling with Bean Group
More Seacoast towns and reports
The Seacoast directory includes the broader region. Published August reports are also available for North Hampton, Greenland, Stratham, Newmarket, Seabrook, Durham and Somersworth.
Use the market report library for other towns and reporting periods, or compare the five starting towns through their settings and practical ownership questions.
Sources and method
Source: New Hampshire REALTORS®, PrimeMLS and ShowingTime Plus, published Local Market Updates for August 2026, data current as of September 5, 2026:
- Portsmouth original report
- Hampton original report
- Exeter original report
- Dover original report
- Rye original report
Figures and percentage changes retain the values printed in those reports. Monthly comparisons are with the same month one year earlier, not the preceding month. Median prices do not account for seller concessions or downpayment assistance. Published percentage changes use rounded figures, and small samples can produce large changes. Later source reports may revise earlier figures.
This brief does not average town medians, combine single-family and condo data, or infer a region-wide median. Bean Group prepared the comparison from the published reports. For help applying it to your own move, connect with Michael Bean.