Market Pulse
Where Phelps County stands — September 2026
By the Numbers
Listings
Under Contract
This Month
This Month
List Price
Sold Price
on Market
Ratio
to Sale Ratio
with Price Reductions
What This Means For You
Phelps County is giving buyers a bit more breathing room this month, with 166 homes to choose from and the median sold price easing to $225,000. Homes are also staying on the market a little longer — nearly 63 days on average — so there's less pressure to rush a decision. If you've been waiting for a chance to negotiate, this balanced market, anchored by steady demand from Missouri S&T and the Rolla area, is a reasonable time to start touring homes without feeling rushed.
Sellers are still closing deals — 41 homes sold this month — but buyers have gained a little leverage, with homes selling closer to 95% of asking price and sitting on the market about four days longer than last month. Pricing realistically from the start matters more right now than it did a few months ago. The good news is Rolla's steady base of university staff, students, and commuters keeps demand reliable, so well-presented homes in good condition should still attract solid interest.
Month-Over-Month
September 2026 vs. prior month — Residential
| Metric | September 2026 | August 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Sold Price | $225,000 | $233,500 | ▼ 3.6% |
| Median List Price | $272,722 | $279,450 | ▼ 2.4% |
| Avg Days on Market | 63 days | 59 days | ▼ Slower by 4 days |
| List-to-Sale Ratio | 95.3% | 98.8% | ▼ 3.5 pts |
| Active Inventory | 166 | 156 | ▲ 10 |
| Homes Sold | 41 | 30 | ▲ 11 |
| Months of Inventory | 4.05 mo. | 5.20 mo. | ▲ Tightening |
Price Distribution
Where is inventory concentrated right now?
What Sold, By Home Size
Find your bedroom count and read across
| Home size | Sold | Median price | Median days | Median sq ft | % of asking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bed | 4 | $187,500 | 35 days | 1,000 | 97.5% |
| 2 beds | 54 | $129,855 | 39 days | 939 | 94.8% |
| 3 beds | 251 | $233,550 | 45 days | 1,635 | 97.0% |
| 4 beds | 131 | $289,500 | 53 days | 2,308 | 97.5% |
| 5+ beds | 61 | $350,000 | 43 days | 3,228 | 97.0% |
By City — Phelps County
Individual conditions for each community within the county
Featured Properties
Selected active listings in Phelps County
Market Commentary
Our team knows this market inside and out. Whether you're buying your first home, selling a farm, or searching for land — we're here to guide you.
# Phelps County Market Commentary — September 2026 Phelps County's housing market continued its steady, balanced rhythm in September, and the numbers tell a story of a market that's cooling slightly from its summer pace without losing footing. The median sold price dipped to $225,000, a 3.6% pullback from August, while homes took a bit longer to sell, averaging 62.7 days on market. Sellers also gave up a little more ground on price, with the list-to-sale ratio easing to 95.3%. None of this points to a shift in momentum so much as a return to a more typical fall cadence — buyers have more to choose from, with active listings climbing to 166, and they're taking a little more time to make decisions as the back-to-school rush around Missouri S&T settles down. That said, the fundamentals here remain sound. Months of inventory actually tightened to 4.05, which is a textbook balanced reading — enough supply to give buyers real options, but not so much that sellers need to panic about competition. Rolla continues to anchor the county's activity with 118 active listings and a comparatively brisk 53.8 average days on market, reflecting the steady demand generated by the university and its surrounding employers. St. James, by contrast, is moving much more slowly, with homes sitting over 100 days on average — a sign that pricing and presentation matter more there right now than in Rolla's tighter sub-market. Newburg stands out as the one genuine seller's market in the county, with limited inventory (just 11 active listings) and faster turnover, suggesting well-priced homes there are getting snapped up quickly. For sellers, the message this month is to price realistically from the start — the days of listing high and expecting a bidding war have cooled, especially outside of Rolla and Newburg. For buyers, September offers a genuine window: more inventory, slightly softer prices, and sellers who are more willing to negotiate than they were a month ago. Phelps County's underlying strength — a diverse, educated buyer base tied to Missouri S&T and the I-44 corridor — means this isn't a market in distress, just one taking a breath after a strong summer. Those looking to buy or sell in Rolla specifically should move with confidence, while St. James sellers may need extra patience or a second look at pricing strategy.