June 2026 Market Update — Sidney / Richland County, Montana
More Sales, More Volume, More Buyers — June Delivers the Strongest Month of 2026
If you've been watching the Richland County real estate market through the first half of 2026 and wondering when things would pick up, June gave you your answer. This month's numbers represent the strongest single-month performance we've seen all year — and when you layer in the year-over-year comparison, the story gets even more encouraging. Let me walk you through what I'm seeing and what it means for sellers heading into the second half of the year.
The June Numbers
In June 2026, seven homes sold in Richland County with a total sales volume of $2,156,000. The average sale price came in at $359,000 and the median sale price at $350,000.
Compare that to June 2025: five homes sold at a total volume of $1,869,000 and an average sale price of $373,000. Year over year, June 2026 delivered two additional sales and $287,000 more in total volume. Transaction count is up 40% from the same month last year. That is not a small movement — in a market this size, two additional closings in a single month is significant.
The average sale price is down modestly from June 2025's $373,000 — a difference of $14,000. I'll put that in context in a moment, but the headline here is volume and activity, not the average price comparison.
Month over month, June built meaningfully on May. May brought six sales at a median of $261,000. June delivered seven sales at a median of $350,000 — one additional transaction and an $89,000 jump in the median. That sequential improvement across three consecutive months — April to May to June — tells me this market has genuine momentum right now.
Context and Interpretation
Here's what it looks like is happening: average prices declined slightly year over year.
Here's what's actually happening: June 2026 produced more transactions across a broader price range than June 2025, which naturally moderates the average. When you go from five sales to seven, you introduce more variability. The median price of $350,000 — which is not distorted by outliers the way the average can be — reflects a healthy, active market. A $14,000 difference in average price on two additional sales is statistical noise, not a trend signal.
What I want sellers to focus on is this: seven closings in a single month is the highest transaction count we've seen in 2026. Total volume of $2,156,000 is the highest monthly volume of the year. The median price of $350,000 is the second highest median we've recorded in our 2026 data. Every meaningful metric except the year-over-year average comparison is pointing in the same direction — up.
The Bigger Market Picture
At the end of June, Richland County had 35 total listings — 20 active and 15 under contract. Of those 35 listings, 15 are currently pending. That is the highest total listing count and the highest pending count we've seen all year.
Inventory building while pending counts rise simultaneously tells me something important: new listings are coming to market and buyers are absorbing them quickly. This is an engaged, two-sided market. Sellers are listing with confidence and buyers are responding. That's the healthiest market dynamic you can have.
The mortgage rate environment continues in the mid-sixes. What June's transaction volume confirms is that buyers in this market are not waiting for rates to improve. Seven closings in a month where rates remain elevated is a clear signal that local demand is driven by genuine need and motivation — not rate speculation.
What This Means If You're Thinking of Selling
June's data makes a clear case for sellers who have been on the fence.
First, transaction volume is at its highest point of the year. Seven buyers closed on homes in Richland County in June. That buyer pool is real and active.
Second, the pending count of 15 at month's end means there are 15 more closings coming in July and beyond. That pipeline of activity doesn't materialize without motivated, qualified buyers in the market.
Third, inventory is rising — which means if you've been waiting, your competition is also starting to list. The sellers who get in front of rising inventory tend to benefit most. The sellers who wait until inventory peaks often find themselves competing harder for the same buyer pool.
Pricing at $350,000 or above is supported by June's median. If your home falls in that range, the market is actively transacting at your price point right now. Price it correctly, present it well, and June's data suggests you have a real audience.
What's Coming
July tends to be the last strong month before the market begins its seasonal transition toward fall. Harvest season in Eastern Montana shifts buyer and seller attention, and activity historically softens from August onward. That makes the next four to six weeks a genuine window — possibly the best remaining window of 2026 — for sellers who want to close before year-end.
The pending count of 15 heading into July means closings are already lined up. The question is whether new listings will continue to meet that demand or whether inventory tightens again. Either scenario can work in a seller's favor — but only if you're already on the market when it happens.
Ready to Talk?
June was the strongest month of 2026 for the Richland County real estate market. If you've been considering selling and waiting for a sign that the timing is right, this is a reasonable place to stop waiting.
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Stasia Creek | Broker/Owner | 406 East Realty | Sidney, Montana | (406) 478-8020
