South KC Home Prices by County: February 2026 Market Update

The regional numbers tell one story. The county-by-county data tells a much more useful one. February 2026 brought strong sales volume across the Kansas side of the metro, but the dynamics in Johnson County look nothing like what’s happening in Miami or Linn County — and buyers and sellers deserve to know the difference.

Below is a full breakdown of February 2026 real estate activity for each Kansas county in the Heartland MLS region, with context on what it means for the cities and communities within each.

County Snapshot — February 2026

Source: Heartland MLS / KCRAR Local Market Updates, February 2026. Current as of March 7, 2026. Linn County figures reflect a small sample size — percentage changes should be interpreted with caution.

Johnson County is the engine of the Kansas side, and February’s numbers confirm it’s running hot. Closed sales rose 10.4% year-over-year to 542, the median sale price climbed to $460,000 (+4.5%), and average sale price broke $574,000 — up nearly 11%. With supply tightening to 1.8 months and pending sales jumping 13.1%, the spring market is setting up for real competition.

The standout metric here is days on market: homes are going under contract in 46 days on average, down from 50 last year, even as prices push higher. That’s a meaningful signal — buyer demand is absorbing inventory faster than it’s being listed. Sellers in Overland Park, Leawood, and Olathe are in a strong position heading into spring. Buyers need to be pre-approved and ready to move quickly.

The outer Johnson County communities — Gardner, Spring Hill, and Stilwell — continue to offer more runway at lower price points, but that gap is closing as buyers priced out of the county’s core move south along US-169 and K-7.

If one number defines Miami County’s February, it’s pending sales up 89.7%. That’s not a typo — buyer contracts nearly doubled year-over-year, going from 29 to 55 in a single month. Closed sales also jumped 54.2% to 37, and the median sale price rose to $282,000 (+6.8%). Miami County is having a moment.

The catch: days on market jumped 55% to 62 days and sellers received only 94.5% of list price on average. This tells a clear story — there’s strong buyer interest in communities like Paola, Louisburg, and Osawatomie, but the market is still price-sensitive. Buyers have more negotiating leverage here than in Johnson County. Sellers who price accurately are getting strong activity; those who stretch are sitting.

Miami County’s affordability relative to Johnson County — median $282K vs. $460K — makes it a logical landing spot for buyers being pushed out of the county to the north. That demand pressure will continue.

Wyandotte County posted the second-highest closed sales jump in the region at 41% — 110 homes closed versus 78 a year ago. Kansas City, KS is clearly attracting buyers, particularly at the entry-level price point. But the pricing story is more nuanced: the median sale price dipped 2.2% to $219,975, and average sale price fell 5.3% to $237,645.

The price softening in Wyandotte likely reflects a mix shift — more lower-priced homes transacting relative to last year, rather than a true decline in home values. Notably, inventory actually dropped 10.8% even as closed sales surged 41%, meaning this market is tightening. Year-to-date, average sales price is up 1.6%, which supports the mix-shift interpretation. For buyers, Wyandotte County remains the most accessible price point on the Kansas side — and the inventory compression suggests that window won’t stay open indefinitely.

Douglas County, home to Lawrence and the University of Kansas, posted solid closed sales growth at 26.9% and a median price of $324,900 — up 7.1% year-over-year, the strongest price appreciation percentage of any county in this report outside of Linn’s volatile small-sample data. The YTD average price of $345,797 is trending consistently upward.

The 78% jump in days on market is dramatic, but worth contextualizing — Douglas County trades in relatively low volume (33 sales), so individual transactions have an outsized impact on averages. The pending sales dip of 18.2% is worth watching heading into March. Supply at 1.3 months remains extremely tight. Overall, Lawrence continues to see steady price appreciation driven by consistent demand from faculty, graduates, and remote workers who value the university community without the Johnson County price premium.

Franklin County doesn’t generate big headlines, but the underlying trend is positive. Closed sales rose 10.5%, and the year-to-date numbers are genuinely striking: YTD closed sales are up 51.9% and YTD average price surged 53.7% to $318,467. That’s partly a small-sample effect — 41 sales vs. 27 — but it suggests real momentum building in the Ottawa area.

The average price jump (+31.7%) is almost certainly being pulled up by a handful of higher-priced transactions in a thin market — the median’s more modest +2.2% tells the steadier story. At $230,000 median with 1.8 months of supply, Franklin County offers entry-level buyers one of the more accessible price points within commuting distance of the metro. Ottawa is roughly 45 minutes to Johnson County on I-35, making it a legitimate option for buyers who can work remotely or are price-motivated.

Linn County is the smallest market in this report, and the numbers require careful interpretation. With only 11 sales in February, every data point here is sensitive to the specific mix of properties that closed. The 44.9% jump in median price (to $202,910) and 42.3% drop in average price reflect exactly that — a different composition of sales this February versus last, not a true market reversal in either direction.

What the Linn County data does confirm: this is a slower, more rural market with longer days on market (85 days), more supply (4.8 months), and buyers who receive more negotiating room. Communities like Pleasanton, Mound City, and La Cygne attract buyers looking for land, acreage, and rural lifestyle at accessible price points. It’s a different use case than the other counties here — and we’d encourage anyone considering Linn County property to have a conversation with us about the land market specifically, which plays by different rules than traditional residential.

The Big Picture: What This Means Across the Region

Reading these counties together reveals a clear gradient. Johnson County is the high-demand core — fast, expensive, and tightening further. Miami, Wyandotte, Franklin, and Douglas counties represent the affordability tier, each with their own character: Miami is surging on buyer activity, Wyandotte is the entry-level volume leader, Douglas holds steady behind Lawrence’s university-driven demand, and Franklin is quietly building momentum along I-35.

The common thread across all six counties: supply is lean. Even the most “affordable” options have under 2.5 months of supply, well below the 6-month benchmark for a balanced market. That means buyers across the Kansas side are competing, just at different price levels. Sellers are in control — but strategy still matters.

Data source: Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS® Local Market Updates, February 2026. All data from Heartland Multiple Listing Service. Current as of March 7, 2026. Report © 2026 ShowingTime Plus, LLC.

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Chris Guerrero

Team Lead — Chris Guerrero Group

Chris leads one of South Kansas City’s most active real estate teams, with deep expertise across Johnson, Miami, and surrounding Kansas counties. Whether you’re buying your first home in Olathe or selling acreage in Miami County, his team brings local market knowledge that regional averages can’t replicate. Call (913) 608-4089 or reach out online.