New Listing
23
$227,500
402 Forrest St
Hillsborough, NC 27278
3 bd1 ba1,007 sqft$226/ft²
House23,522 sqft lot
Kathryn White · Berkshire Hathaway HomeService
View photos & details
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Hillsborough, NC Housing Market
Balanced market-3.8% YoY
Zillow, August 2026 · Refreshes monthlyRedfin, through May 2026 · No longer updatingFreddie Mac via FRED, September 2026 · Refreshes weekly
The typical home in Hillsborough, NC is worth $471,836, fell 3.8% over the past year (Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026). The last median sale price Redfin published was $491,000, +1.0% year over year (through May 2026). With 3.6 months of supply and homes going under contract in about 25 days, Hillsborough is a balanced market. At today's 7.03% 30-year fixed rate, 20% down on a $471,836 home is about $2,519/mo in principal and interest.
Key numbers for Hillsborough, NC
Typical home value
$471,836
-3.8% in 12 months
Zillow, August 2026
Typical asking rent
$1,489/mo
Zillow Observed Rent Index
Zillow, August 2026
Median sale price
$491,000
+1.0% year over year
Redfin, through May 2026
Days on market
25
Average pace
Redfin, through May 2026
Active listings
47
3.6 months of supply
Redfin, through May 2026
30-yr fixed rate
7.03%
Freddie Mac weekly average
Freddie Mac via FRED, September 2026
Median household income
$98,467
Home costs 4.8x income
U.S. Census ACS, 2023
Sale-to-list ratio
98.2%
Selling below asking
Redfin, through May 2026
Zillow figures are as of August 2026 and refresh monthly. Redfin figures are through May 2026 — Redfin stopped publishing its public market trackers in June 2026, so those numbers are final, not current. Mortgage rates come from Freddie Mac via FRED and update weekly.
Is Hillsborough a buyer's or seller's market?
Balanced market3.6 months of supply25 days on market98.2% of asking
Hillsborough, NC is a balanced market, based on 3.6 months of supply and homes selling in about 25 days. Under 4 months of supply tilts the market toward sellers: homes clear faster than they are replaced, so concessions are scarce.
Inputs are Redfin's final published period (May 2026). How we classify markets · Where the data comes from
What does the Hillsborough housing market data show?
Every row below is Redfin's final published month for Hillsborough, NC. Redfin, through May 2026
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median sale price | $491,000 |
| Median list price | $462,740 |
| Year-over-year price change | +1.0% |
| Median price per sq ft | $272/sq ft |
| Median days on market | 25 days |
| Active inventory | 47 listings |
| Months of supply | 3.6 months |
| Sale-to-list price ratio | 98.2% |
| Homes sold (that month) | 13 |
| New listings (that month) | 17 |
| Listings with a price cut | 34.0% |
| Market condition | Balanced market |
How to read these numbers
- Median sale price
- Half the homes that closed sold for more than this, half for less. It moves with what kind of home sold that month, so a quiet month with two big sales can swing it. Redfin's figure for Hillsborough is frozen at May 2026.
- Typical home value (ZHVI)
- Zillow's estimate of what a mid-market home in Hillsborough is worth right now, whether or not it sold. It is smoother than the median sale price and it still refreshes monthly, which is why this page leads with it.
- Months of supply
- How long it would take to sell every active listing at the current pace. Under 3 favors sellers, over 6 favors buyers, and 3 to 6 is the balanced band.
- Days on market
- Median time from listing to accepted offer. Short means you should have financing ready before you tour; long means there is room to negotiate on price and repairs.
- Sale-to-list ratio
- Sale price divided by the last asking price. Above 100% means bidding above asking is normal here; below 100% means the typical buyer got a discount.
- Price per square foot
- The size-adjusted price. Use it to compare a 1,400 sq ft house to a 2,600 sq ft house, not to value your own home — lot, condition and age move it a lot.
- Listings with a price cut
- Share of active listings that dropped their asking price in the month. A high share is the earliest visible sign that sellers are ahead of what buyers will pay.
- Typical asking rent (ZORI)
- Zillow's repeat-rent index for asking rents on new leases. Paired with the home value it gives the price-to-rent ratio in the rent-vs-buy section below.
How have Hillsborough home prices moved?
Over the last three years the median sale price in Hillsborough, NC rose 22.4%, from $401,000 to $491,000. The live Zillow value series has fell 3.8% in the last 12 months, which is the more current read now that Redfin's series has stopped. 34.0% of Hillsborough listings cut their asking price in the final Redfin month — a high share, and the clearest sign that list prices were running ahead of what buyers would pay. For prices to fall meaningfully from here, supply would have to keep building past 3.6 months while the sale-to-list ratio slips below its current 98.2%. Watch those two together — they move before the median does.
Redfin, through May 2026 — the chart ends at Redfin's final published month.
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What does it cost to buy a home in Hillsborough?
Priced off the typical home value of $471,836 at the current 7.03% 30-year fixed rate. These are principal and interest only — property taxes, homeowner's insurance, HOA dues and mortgage insurance are on top, and they vary enough by property that we will not guess them for you.
| Down payment | Cash at close | Loan amount | Monthly P&I |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20% | $94,367 | $377,469 | $2,519/mo |
| 5% | $23,592 | $448,245 | $2,991/mo |
Zillow, August 2026 for the price · Freddie Mac via FRED, September 2026 for the rate
What income do you need?
Lenders generally want housing costs under 28% of gross income. On the 20%-down payment of $2,519, that implies roughly $107,954 a year before you add taxes and insurance. The median household in Hillsborough earns $98,467, about $9,487 short of that threshold — the typical local household needs a larger down payment, a co-borrower, or a home below the typical home value to fit the 28% rule. That puts the price-to-income ratio at 4.8x — above the historical 3x norm but in line with much of the country in 2026.
Run it with your own numbers: affordability calculator · mortgage calculator
Buying in Hillsborough in the next 12 months?
Tell us your timeline. We send the Hillsborough market brief: the price ranges that actually clear, how long homes sit, and what to fix on your credit before you apply.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Hillsborough?
Typical asking rent in Hillsborough, NC is $1,489/mo, against a typical home value of $471,836. That is a price-to-rent ratio of 26.4x, which means renting tends to be the cheaper monthly option unless you stay long enough for appreciation to close the gap. Compared head to head, 20% down puts principal and interest at $2,519 a month — $1,030 more than renting before taxes and insurance, so the ownership case here rests on equity and appreciation rather than monthly cash flow.
Zillow, August 2026 for both value and rent
Add your own down payment, tax rate and time horizon in the rent vs. buy calculator.
Is inventory rising or falling in Hillsborough?
Active listings in Hillsborough, NC went from 38 in May 2025 to 47 in May 2026, a +23.7% change. Rising inventory is the single most useful leading indicator for buyers: more choice, longer marketing times, and more sellers willing to negotiate before price cuts show up in the median.
| Month | Active listings | New listings |
|---|---|---|
| June 2025 | 40 | 20 |
| July 2025 | 44 | 20 |
| August 2025 | 44 | 16 |
| September 2025 | 36 | 14 |
| October 2025 | 39 | 19 |
| November 2025 | 33 | 9 |
| December 2025 | 26 | 7 |
| January 2026 | 22 | 11 |
| February 2026 | 28 | 16 |
| March 2026 | 34 | 26 |
| April 2026 | 48 | 28 |
| May 2026 | 47 | 17 |
Redfin, through May 2026
How does Hillsborough compare to North Carolina and the U.S.?
Hillsborough homes sell for $491,000 — 23% above the North Carolina median of $397,600. Against the national median of $410,700, Hillsborough runs 20% higher. Year-over-year, Hillsborough moved +1.0% against North Carolina's +2.1% — a smaller swing than the state as a whole.
| Market | Median sale price | YoY | Days on market |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough, NC | $491,000 | +1.0% | 25 days |
| North Carolina statewide | $397,600 | +2.1% | 52 days |
| United States | $410,700 | not published | not published |
City and state rows: Redfin, through May 2026 · U.S. row: Freddie Mac via FRED, April 2026 (MSPUS, quarterly)
What to do next in Hillsborough
What buyers should watch
- Months of supply, currently 3.6. It turns before price does — when it climbs past 6, sellers start taking offers they would have rejected a quarter earlier.
- The share of listings cutting price, currently 34.0%. A listing that has already cut once is the one most likely to accept below asking.
- The gap between 5% and 20% down here is $472 a month in principal and interest alone, before mortgage insurance. That gap, not the price, is usually what decides your timeline.
- Rate moves. At 7.03%, every full point of rate change moves the payment on a $471,836 home more than a 5% price change does.
- Your credit tier before you shop, not after — it sets the rate you are quoted. Run your numbers first.
What sellers should know
- The median Hillsborough listing goes under contract in 25 days. If yours passes that mark, the market is telling you the price is wrong — not that you need more showings.
- Homes here close at 98.2% of asking. Price to that ratio from day one rather than chasing the market down in cuts.
- In the last published month Hillsborough added 17 new listings against 13 sales — more competition arriving than clearing, so early timing matters.
- Your equity moved -3.8% in the last 12 months on the Zillow value series. That, not the price you paid, is what sets your net proceeds.
- Comparable ZIP-level pricing inside Hillsborough varies more than the citywide median suggests — check the ZIP pages below before you set a number.
Homes for sale in Hillsborough
There are currently 47 homes listed for sale in Hillsborough, North Carolina. The median listing price is $463K. Featured listings range from $227,500 to $2,150,000.
New Listing
20
$250,000
Hawes Rd
Hillsborough, NC 27278
Land3.81 acres
Amy Pulliam · Boro Realty
View photos & details
New Listing
25
$300,000
215 Torain St
Hillsborough, NC 27278
3 bd1 ba1,068 sqft$281/ft²
House18,295 sqft lot
Emili Tasler · RIVETER GROUP LLC
View photos & details
New Listing
13
$415,000
7409 Guess Rd
Hillsborough, NC 27278
Land10.19 acres
Lori Madden · Allen Tate/Cary
View photos & details
New Build
25
$494,490
725 James J Freeland Mem Dr
Hillsborough, NC 27278
4 bd4 ba2,628 sqft$188/ft²
House
View photos & details
New Listing
2
$522,000
410 Regulators Way
Hillsborough, NC 27278
4 bd3 ba2,698 sqft$193/ft²
House7,841 sqft lot
Jamie Bey · Inhabit Real Estate
View photos & details
New Listing
40
$577,000
1108 W King St
Hillsborough, NC 27278
2 bd1 ba1,135 sqft$508/ft²
House3.00 acres
Armand Lenchek · EXP Realty LLC
View photos & details
New Listing
52
$649,000
1313 Quincy Cottage Rd
Hillsborough, NC 27278
4 bd3 ba2,533 sqft$256/ft²
House7,405 sqft lot
Bill Stevenson · Compass -- Chapel Hill - Durham
View photos & details
New Listing
78
$675,000
5424 Hawes Rd
Hillsborough, NC 27278
4 bd3 ba2,096 sqft$322/ft²
House9.00 acres
Amy Pulliam · Boro Realty
View photos & details
New Build
22
$890,000
Tbd Magpie-Homesite 1 Ln
Hillsborough, NC 27278
5 bd4 ba4,042 sqft$220/ft²
House
View photos & details
New Listing
30
$999,900
605 Red Fox Trl
Hillsborough, NC 27278
4 bd4 ba4,806 sqft$208/ft²
House20,038 sqft lot
Shea Smith · NorthGroup Real Estate, Inc.
View photos & details
New Listing
4
$2,150,000
2626 Highland Farm Rd
Hillsborough, NC 27278
Land70.77 acres
Andrea Ochoa · Collective Realty LLC
View photos & details
Looking to buy in Hillsborough?
Get connected with a local real estate expert — free, no obligation.
Active listings
47
Homes on market
Median list price
$463K
Avg. days on market
25
Days until sale
New this week
17
Newly listed
Price drops:34.0%of listings
Sale-to-list:98.2%
How much do homes cost in Hillsborough by property type?
How the Hillsborough, NC market breaks down across single-family homes, condos and townhouses. Redfin, through May 2026
| Property type | Median price | Price / sq ft | Homes sold | Days on market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family | $491,000 | $272/sq ft | 11 | 23 days |
| Condo / co-op | $561,000 | $387/sq ft | 1 | 32 days |
| Townhouse | $377,500 | $197/sq ft | 1 | 46 days |
Who lives in Hillsborough?
American Community Survey estimates for Hillsborough. U.S. Census ACS, 2023
Population
9,656
Households
4,157
Median income
$98,467/yr
Median age
43.6 years
Owner-occupied
63.7%
Median home value
$430,100
Median gross rent
$1,349/mo
Mean commute
21.3 min
63.7% of occupied homes in Hillsborough are owner-occupied, and the rest are rented — which is the share that decides how much of the local housing stock ever reaches the for-sale market. The Census self-reported median home value is $430,100 against Zillow's $471,836 typical value; the gap is normal — ACS asks owners what they think their home is worth, Zillow models transactions. Census median gross rent (all leases, including long-held ones) is $1,349/mo, below Zillow's $1,489/mo asking rent on new leases — the difference is roughly what a mover pays over a stayer.
Which public schools serve Hillsborough?
12 schools tracked · 6,735 students
The largest public schools serving Hillsborough, NC by enrollment, drawn from the National Center for Education Statistics. School quality is a commonly cited factor in home-buying decisions — these are the campuses families in this area are most likely to encounter.
Orange High
Grades 9-12 · 1,220 students
Cedar Ridge High
Grades 9-12 · 1,118 students
Eno River Academy
Grades K-12 · 810 students
A L Stanback Middle
Grades 6-8 · 625 students
River Park Elementary
Grades PK-5 · 555 students
Orange Middle
Grades 6-8 · 529 students
Hillsborough Elementary
Grades PK-5 · 434 students
Grady Brown Elementary
Grades PK-5 · 401 students
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data directory. Updated annually. Ratings and test scores are not currently displayed.
Which cities are near Hillsborough, NC?
Ordered by distance from Hillsborough, not by size. Compare Hillsborough side by side with any of them.
Which ZIP codes are in Hillsborough?
These are the ZIP codes we see on active Hillsborough listings. Redfin did not publish a matching ZIP-level sale row for the same period, so we are not ranking them by price here — each ZIP page shows exactly what we hold for it.
Hillsborough housing market FAQ
Is Hillsborough a buyer's or seller's market?
Hillsborough, NC is currently a balanced market. That read comes from 3.6 months of supply, homes going under contract in about 25 days, and sellers getting 98.2% of their asking price in the last month Redfin published (May 2026).
How much do homes cost in Hillsborough?
The typical home in Hillsborough, NC is worth $471,836 (Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026). The median sale price in the last month Redfin published was $491,000, about $272 per square foot.
Is Hillsborough cheaper than the rest of North Carolina?
Hillsborough's median sale price of $491,000 is 23% higher than the North Carolina statewide median of $397,600, and 20% above the U.S. median of $410,700. Both figures are for the same period.
How long do homes take to sell in Hillsborough?
Homes in Hillsborough, NC spent a median of 25 days on market before going under contract, versus 52 days statewide. That is a normal pace: enough time to see a home twice, not enough to wait a month. (Redfin, through May 2026.)
What income do you need to buy a home in Hillsborough?
At the current 30-year fixed rate of 7.03%, 20% down on a $471,836 home is about $2,519 a month in principal and interest. Lenders typically want that under 28% of gross income, which works out to roughly $107,954 a year before taxes, insurance, HOA dues or mortgage insurance. The local median household income is $98,467.
Are home prices rising in Hillsborough?
The typical home value in Hillsborough, NC fell 3.8% over the last 12 months, from $490,416 to $471,836 (Zillow, August 2026). This is the live series — it refreshes monthly.
What are the cheapest ZIP codes in Hillsborough?
Hillsborough ZIP-level sale prices are not all published for the same period, so ranking them would compare different months. The ZIP pages listed on this page show what we hold for each one individually.
Is now a good time to buy in Hillsborough?
That depends on your timeline, not on a headline. What the data says today: Hillsborough, NC is a balanced market with 3.6 months of supply, the 30-year fixed rate is 7.03%, and the price-to-rent ratio of 26.4x means renting tends to be the cheaper monthly option unless you stay long enough for appreciation to close the gap. Properties Incorporated publishes the data; it does not give financial advice.
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