FHFA house price index rises 0.3% in August, up 2.4% from a year earlier

U.S. house prices rose 0.3% from July to August, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency's monthly House Price Index report released Tuesday, Oct. 27. The figure is seasonally adjusted. Prices were 2.4% higher in August 2026 than in August 2025, the report says.¹²

The agency revised July's monthly change down to a 0.2% increase from the 0.3% gain it reported in September.¹²³

The national index stood at 444.6 in August, seasonally adjusted, with January 1991 set at 100. It was 443.2 in July.¹

What the index measures

The figures come from FHFA's flagship index, which is based only on home purchases, is adjusted for seasonal swings and draws on data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. It covers conventional mortgages within conforming loan limits that the two companies buy or package into securities.¹²

By region

Across the nine census divisions, seasonally adjusted price changes from July to August ranged from a 0.8% decline in New England to a 2.1% increase in the East South Central division.¹²

Over 12 months, every division showed an increase. The changes ranged from 0.5% in the Mountain division to 4.4% in the East North Central division.¹²

• East North Central: up 0.5% for the month and 4.4% for the year.
• Middle Atlantic: up 4.3% for the year.
• East South Central: up 2.1% for the month and 3.9% for the year.
• West North Central: up 0.7% for the month and 3.7% for the year.
• New England: down 0.8% for the month and up 2.4% for the year.
• West South Central: up 0.6% for the month and 1.4% for the year.
• South Atlantic: up 1.3% for the year.
• Pacific: down 0.1% for the month and up 1.2% for the year.
• Mountain: up 0.3% for the month and 0.5% for the year.¹

Earlier months

In its previous monthly report, released Sept. 29, FHFA said prices rose 0.3% in July and were up 2.6% from July 2025, and left June's reported change of 0.0% unrevised.³ A year earlier, the agency reported a 0.4% monthly gain for August 2025 and a 2.3% increase from August 2024.⁴

The agency's next report, due Nov. 24, will include monthly data through September and quarterly data for the third quarter of 2026.¹²

What the records do not show

• The report does not give a revised 12-month change for July.¹
• It covers only homes with conforming mortgages bought or securitized by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, not all U.S. home sales.¹
• Neither the report nor FHFA's news release includes a statement from agency officials on the August figures.¹²