Market analytics · May 2026 archive
Payson, Utah real estate market report.
Monthly sold prices, days on market, sale-to-list ratio, and absorption rate. Updated nightly from UtahRealEstate.com and the Washington County Board of Realtors.
Updated · Sources: UtahRealEstate.com & Washington County Board of Realtors
May 2026 · Market Analysis
Payson's median sale price rebounds $95K from April as the $400K–$700K band drives May closings.
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Payson's median sale price jumped from $415,000 in April 2026 to $510,000 in May — a $95,000 swing in a single month — driven largely by a shift in the mix of homes that closed, with 19 of 29 sales landing in the $400,000–$700,000 band compared to 16 of 27 in April. That same $400,000–$700,000 segment posted a median sale price of $524,900 in May, up from $502,500 in April, suggesting genuine price strength in the middle of the market rather than just a compositional artifact. A year ago in May 2025, Payson's median closed at $472,000 on 31 sales, so this May's $510,000 median represents an 8.1% gain year over year even as closings came in slightly lighter at 29.
Market pulse
Active inventory in Payson has climbed steadily from 66 homes in December 2025 to 82 in January, 90 in February, 101 in March, 117 in April, and 126 in May — nearly double the December floor and 50% above May 2025's 84 active listings. New listings moderated in May to 40, down from April's 51, which may signal the spring listing wave is beginning to taper. Days on market at the median held at 42 days in May, essentially flat with April's 36 and January's 45, suggesting the market is neither accelerating nor stalling — homes are moving, but buyers are not rushing. The sale-to-list ratio of 99.3% in May is consistent with the 98%–100% range Payson has maintained since last summer, meaning sellers are still getting close to their asking prices even as supply builds.
Mortgage context
The 30-year fixed rate now sits at 6.75%, up 0.25 percentage points from 6.5% thirty days ago, and has climbed 0.56 percentage points since February's monthly average of 6.19% — the low point of the past seven months. That February-to-now move adds real weight to monthly payments in Payson, where the median home price is $510,000. FHA financing at 6.25% remains a meaningful alternative for buyers who qualify, particularly those targeting the under-$400,000 segment where 7 homes closed in May at a median of $344,990.
Payment math
On a median-priced home here — about $510,000 with 20% down — the monthly principal-and-interest payment lands at $2,646 at 6.75% — $67 more than 30 days ago at 6.5%, and $150 above the February low when rates averaged 6.19% and the payment would have been $2,496.
If you're buying
With 126 active listings and at-pace closings of roughly 29 per month, Payson currently has about 4.3 months of supply — enough that buyers have real choices without the frantic competition of a tighter market. Target homes in the Arrowhead Ranch and Arrowhead Park corridors that have been listed past 60 days; the sale-to-list ratio on stale inventory tends to slip closer to 97%–98%, giving you negotiating room that fresh listings won't offer. Buyers priced out of the $500,000-plus range in neighboring Springville or Salem should also look at Payson's under-$400,000 segment, where 7 homes closed in May at a median of $344,990 — and where days on market averaged 58 days, indicating sellers in that band are more motivated.
If you're selling
The $400,000–$700,000 band is where Payson's market is most active right now — 19 of 29 May closings landed there — so if your home fits that range, price it within 1%–2% of what similar homes in Arrowhead Ranch or Springside Meadows sold for in the past 60 days rather than anchoring to March's elevated $535,000 median, which was skewed by a heavier mix of upper-tier sales. With 7 of May's 29 closings involving a prior price reduction, homes that start too high are visibly sitting; a clean first-price strategy is more effective than a reduction later. If you're in the Heritage Village or Payson View Estates area with a home above $700,000, expect longer days on market — that segment has consistently run 30–140 days across recent months — and budget your timeline accordingly.
Outlook
Inventory is likely to stay elevated through June and July as the spring listing cycle winds down more slowly than closings can absorb it; at May's pace it would take about 4.3 months to sell every home currently listed, and that figure could edge higher if new listings continue running above 40 per month. Rates at 6.75% — and the June monthly average tracking toward 6.68% — will keep some move-up buyers on the sidelines, particularly those with sub-5% mortgages on their current homes who are reluctant to trade up. Payson's position as a more affordable alternative to Provo and Orem along the I-15 corridor should continue drawing price-sensitive buyers southward, providing a floor under demand even if the pace of closings stays in the high-20s range.
Watch for
If the 30-year fixed rate crosses 7% before fall, expect active inventory in Payson to push past 140 homes and days on market to drift back toward the 55–65 day range seen in late 2025, shifting meaningful leverage to buyers in the $400,000–$700,000 band.
"A sharp price rebound, rising inventory, and climbing rates — Payson's May tells three stories at once."
Common questions about Payson this month
Is Payson a buyer's or seller's market in May 2026? ▾
It's a balanced-to-slightly-buyer-favoring market right now. With 126 active listings and 29 closings in May, there's about 4.3 months of supply — enough that buyers have real options and some negotiating room on homes that have been sitting. That said, the sale-to-list ratio of 99.3% shows sellers are still holding close to their asking prices, so it's not a deeply discounted environment either.
Why did Payson's median sale price jump so much from April to May? ▾
The $95,000 jump from $415,000 in April to $510,000 in May is largely a mix shift: more homes closed in the $400,000–$700,000 range in May (19 out of 29) compared to April (16 out of 27), and fewer closed below $400,000. The $400,000–$700,000 segment's own median also rose from $502,500 to $524,900, so there was genuine price movement within that band as well, not just a compositional change.
How much does the current mortgage rate add to a monthly payment in Payson? ▾
At today's 6.75% rate, a buyer putting 20% down on Payson's $510,000 median home would pay $2,646 per month in principal and interest. That's $67 more than 30 days ago when rates were at 6.5%, and $150 more than February's low when rates averaged 6.19% and the payment would have been $2,496. FHA loans at 6.25% can reduce that cost for qualifying buyers.
Are homes in Arrowhead Ranch selling quickly in Payson right now? ▾
Not especially — Arrowhead Ranch's 4 May closings had a median of 63 days on market, which is notably slower than the overall Payson median of 42 days. That's a shift from April, when Arrowhead Ranch's 8 closings moved at a median of 25 days. Buyers targeting Arrowhead Ranch should be aware that homes there are taking longer to sell, which can create room to negotiate.
How does Payson compare to nearby cities like Springville or Salem for buyers right now? ▾
Payson's median sale price of $510,000 in May and its growing inventory of 126 active listings make it one of the more accessible entry points along the southern Utah County I-15 corridor. Buyers priced out of Springville or Salem — where prices tend to run higher — increasingly look at Payson's under-$400,000 segment, where 7 homes closed in May at a median of $344,990. The trade-off is a slightly longer commute north toward Provo and Orem, but for buyers prioritizing price, Payson offers meaningful value.
Number of Listings
Active inventory · new listings · sold per month
Listing Prices
Active median list · new median list · sold median sale
Absorption Rate
Months of supply — active inventory ÷ monthly sold rate
Sale-to-List Ratio
Close price ÷ original list — buyer/seller leverage
Days on Market
Median days from listing to close
Price Volume
Total dollar volume — active · new · sold per month
May 2026 cohort breakdown
Distribution of what closed last month — by price band, sale-vs-list outcome, and top subdivisions.
How sales priced vs asking
29 sold homes that had a list price recorded
Days on market spread
Quartile distribution
Median 42 · 25th percentile 3 · 75th percentile 65
Needed a price change
Sold listings that had a recorded price change before close
6 of 29 sold homes had at least one price change while listed. Lower = sellers are pricing right the first time.
Sales by price band
Closed-price bucket → sold count and median days to contract
Top subdivisions this month
Ranked by closed count
- 1. Arrowhead Ranch 4 sold · $611K · 63d
- 2. Arrowhead Park 2 sold · $455K · 22d
- 3. Villages At Arrowhead Park 2 sold · $342K · 72d
- 4. E Hendrickson Amended 1 sold · $1,650K · 90d
- 5. Payson View South 1 sold · $820K · 0d
May 2026 by property type
How each housing type performed last month — 27 closings total across subtypes.
Summary Statistics
| Metric | May-26 | May-25 | % Chg | 2026 YTD | 2025 YTD | % Chg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold Count | 29 | 31 | -6.45% | 132 | 125 | +5.60% |
| Median Sale Price | $510,000 | $472,000 | +8.05% | $487,500 | $470,400 | +3.64% |
| Median DOM | 42 | 22 | +90.91% | 43 | 38 | +13.16% |
| Sale-to-List Ratio | 98.96% | 97.80% | +1.19% | 99.29% | 98.79% | +0.51% |
Sources: UtahRealEstate.com and the Washington County Board of Realtors, aggregated by Best Utah Real Estate. Sale-to-list ratio compares closing price to the final list price (post-reduction). Absorption rate = active inventory ÷ monthly sold rate.