In 10 states, homeowners have significant wealth tied up in home equity, often surpassing or closely matching their overall net worth. Hawaii leads with median home equity of $600,000 and net worth of $692,700, while California shows $550,000 in equity versus $273,800 net worth. Other states include Massachusetts, Washington, Colorado, Idaho, New Jersey, Utah, Maryland, and Oregon. High home equity reflects strong housing markets but may limit financial flexibility.
In Colorado, median home equity reached $350K, placing the state fifth on the list and showing how strongly housing wealth contributed to household balance sheets.
Colorado’s median household net worth was $370K, meaning most household wealth sat close to home values after debts and non-housing assets were considered.
In Colorado, high home equity can lift net worth, but when wealth stays concentrated in a house, homeowners may have less flexibility for other goals.
For Colorado homeowners, knowing how much wealth is tied to property can help guide choices on refinancing, downsizing, or broader portfolio diversification.
For Colorado, the broader takeaway is clear: strong equity can reflect a strong housing market, while also making wealth balance worth reviewing.
Colorado's housing market shows rapid home price growth in various cities. Mountain resort towns and metro areas have seen significant increases, with typical home values ranging from around $336,000 to over $3 million. One-year price changes range from 2.2% to 13.4%, while five-year increases reach up to 57.3%. Notable growth occurs in both smaller towns and larger metro regions, reflecting a dynamic market.
Homebuilding costs in Colorado vary widely, from $24,295 in Colorado Springs to $101,616 in Boulder, driven largely by local taxes, fees, and permitting. Water and sewer fees are the largest cost, especially in fast-growing Front Range suburbs. Affordable housing fees are rare, found only in Denver and Boulder. Permitting delays, notably in Denver, add significant costs. Higher fees correlate with fewer housing permits, impacting affordability and supply. Policy choices significantly shape housing market conditions.
Here's a quick update on Denver's real estate market. Homes are taking a bit longer to sell, and fewer properties are changing hands. The number of available homes remains similar to last year.
In Q2 2026, the US median new single-family price was $410.7K, while the existing-home median reached $435.7K, a $25K national gap that quarter.
That marked the biggest separation in national medians, extending a reversal that began in Q2 2024, when existing-home prices started topping new homes.
Many owners with pandemic-era low mortgage rates stayed put, limiting supply, while builders used smaller lots, smaller homes, and incentives to reach buyers.
The national gap did not describe every US market; regional mix, home types, lot sizes, and rising construction costs all shaped median comparisons.
By Q2 2026, new-home prices were ↓~1% yearly, while existing-home yearly growth slowed to ~2% after twelve straight quarters of increases nationally.
In Late-Q3, a builder-confidence index fell 3 points to 32. Current sales conditions slipped to 35, while six-mo sales expectations dropped to 37.
Prospective buyer traffic held at 23. Meanwhile, 38% of builders nationwide cut prices, and two-thirds used incentives, up from 63% in Mid-Q3.
Mortgage applications for new-home purchases declined for a fifth straight mo in Mid-Q3 as avg. 30-yr rates hovered in the high-6% range.
Large builders kept leaning on builder-paid rate buydowns, helping buyers secure below-market mortgages and supporting sales without relying solely on broader new-home price cuts.
With 30-yr rates near 7% in Late-Q3, two housing forecasters expected them to stay in the high-6% range or higher through 2027.
