KARAKTER Realty · Market Data

Calgary real estate statistics 2026.

Data current through April / May 2026 · Updated monthly

70+ verified Calgary real estate data points drawn from CREB monthly market reports, CMHC Housing Market Outlook, Statistics Canada, and the Bank of Canada. Every market-sourced figure is tagged with its source organization. Use this page to understand current market conditions, benchmark prices, financing parameters, and the 20-year context behind Calgary's housing market.

Contents

Benchmark prices — April 2026
Supply & demand — April 2026
Year-over-year trends
20-year historical context
Financing & mortgage (2026)
Calgary economic context
KARAKTER benchmarks

1. Benchmark prices — April 2026

CREB benchmark prices represent a quality-adjusted "typical" home in each category, measured using the MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) methodology. They are the most reliable price comparator over time.

Benchmark price — all residential (April 2026) CREB: $618,400 Up 3.8% year-over-year. Includes all property types: detached, semi-detached, row, and apartment condo. The all-residential benchmark crossed $600K for the first time in early 2025 and has held above that threshold through 2026.
Benchmark price — detached (April 2026) CREB: $762,500 Up 3.2% year-over-year. The detached benchmark reflects a typical single-family home in Calgary; it rose sharply from $470K in 2020 to a 2023 peak near $730K and has continued to appreciate moderately since. Quality-adjusted by CREB's HPI methodology.
Benchmark price — semi-detached (April 2026) CREB: $623,800 Up 4.1% year-over-year. Semi-detached homes (half-duplexes) have seen stronger percentage gains than detached, reflecting relative affordability and strong demand from move-up buyers priced out of the detached market.
Benchmark price — row / townhouse (April 2026) CREB: $481,200 Up 5.6% year-over-year — the strongest gain of any property type. Row housing has emerged as a primary entry point for buyers priced out of detached homes, driving outsized demand and faster price appreciation across both inner-city and suburban row product.
Benchmark price — apartment condo (April 2026) CREB: $343,100 Up 2.4% year-over-year. Apartment condos remain the most accessible entry point for Calgary homeownership. Supply additions from completions of projects launched during 2022–2023 are moderating price growth in some sub-markets, particularly the Beltline and University District.
Benchmark price — SW quadrant detached (April 2026) CREB: $852,300 The SW quadrant commands Calgary's largest geographic price premium due to proximity to Glenmore Reservoir, top-rated schools, and established communities like Aspen Woods, Springbank Hill, and West Springs. Up 3.6% year-over-year.
Benchmark price — NW quadrant detached (April 2026) CREB: $721,400 The NW quadrant benefits from easy mountain access, Nose Hill Park, and communities like Tuscany, Royal Oak, and Scenic Acres. Up 2.9% year-over-year. NW pricing sits below SW but above SE and NE for detached homes.
Benchmark price — inner-city detached (April 2026) CREB: $784,600 Inner-city Calgary (roughly the area within Deerfoot/Crowchild/Glenmore) commands a premium for walkability, lot size, and redevelopment potential. Communities like Altadore, Rosedale, and Mount Royal anchor the high end; others like Highland Park and Winston Heights offer relative value. Up 4.2% year-over-year.
Benchmark price — SE quadrant detached (April 2026) CREB: $641,200 SE Calgary — encompassing communities from Mahogany and Auburn Bay to Riverbend and Chaparral — offers strong lifestyle amenity with lake communities while pricing below the NW and SW. Up 3.5% year-over-year.
Benchmark price — NE quadrant detached (April 2026) CREB: $551,700 The NE quadrant offers Calgary's most affordable detached entry point, with communities like Saddle Ridge, Skyview Ranch, and Cornerstone serving first-time buyers and new Canadians. Up 4.8% year-over-year — the strongest quadrant gain — reflecting catch-up from previously depressed relative pricing.

2. Supply & demand — April 2026

Supply/demand metrics determine market conditions — whether buyers or sellers have negotiating power. CREB publishes these monthly for the overall Calgary market and by property type.

Months of supply — all residential (April 2026) CREB: 2.1 months Active listings ÷ monthly sales = 2.1. This sits at the lower end of balanced territory (2–4 months), with conditions still tilting toward sellers in most detached sub-markets. Below 2.0 months = strong seller's market; above 4.0 months = buyer's market.
Months of supply — detached (April 2026) CREB: 1.8 months Detached supply remains tighter than the overall market, sustaining seller's market conditions. Available detached inventory has grown from historic lows in 2022 (under 1 month) but has not returned to balanced levels in most Calgary quadrants and price bands.
New listings — all residential (April 2026) CREB: 3,840 units April 2026 new listings are up 8.2% from April 2025, reflecting continued seller confidence. Despite the increase, new supply is being absorbed quickly, keeping active inventory from building substantially.
Active listings — all residential (April 2026) CREB: 6,210 units Active listings are up 14.3% from April 2025's historically low figure, but remain well below the 10,000+ active listing counts that characterized Calgary's 2015–2018 buyer's market. Inventory recovery is gradual and primarily concentrated in apartment condos.
Monthly sales volume — all residential (April 2026) CREB: 2,960 units April 2026 sales are up 4.7% year-over-year, driven by continued population growth, interprovincial migration to Alberta, and modestly improving affordability from Bank of Canada rate reductions. Strong month by historical standards — April is typically one of Calgary's two peak transaction months alongside May.
Sales-to-new-listings ratio (April 2026) CREB: 77% Monthly sales as a share of new listings. Above 60% = seller's market; 40–60% = balanced; below 40% = buyer's market. At 77%, Calgary's April 2026 market remains decidedly in seller's territory despite inventory gains. All property types except apartment condos are above 65%.
Absorption rate — detached (April 2026) CREB: 82% Of detached homes that listed in April 2026, approximately 82% sold within the month — a strong absorption rate indicating tight supply relative to buyer demand. Absorption rates above 70% in the detached segment typically produce upward price pressure and multiple-offer scenarios.
Benchmark days on market — all residential (April 2026) CREB: 24 days The median time from listing to accepted offer across all property types in April 2026. This is up from the 14–16 day pace of Calgary's 2022 frenzy but well below the 45–60 day norms of the 2016–2019 balanced period.
Benchmark days on market — detached (April 2026) CREB: 19 days Detached homes sell faster than the all-residential average, reflecting tighter supply in that segment. Correctly priced detached homes under $900K in desirable communities are frequently receiving offers within the first 7–10 days of listing.
Benchmark days on market — apartment condo (April 2026) CREB: 31 days Apartment condos take the longest to sell among Calgary property types, reflecting higher inventory levels and a broader range of quality, condition, and condo fee structures. New high-rise completions from 2023–2025 pipeline projects are adding to resale competition in the Beltline, East Village, and University District.

3. Year-over-year trends

Year-over-year comparisons (April 2026 vs. April 2025) show the current momentum of Calgary's housing market. Benchmark price trend data reveals the shift from the 2022 peak through the 2023–2024 recovery and into 2026 stabilization.

Benchmark price change YoY — detached CREB: +3.2% Year-over-year benchmark price growth for Calgary detached homes (April 2025 to April 2026). Growth has moderated from the 10–15% YoY gains of 2022–2023 to a healthier 3–5% pace, suggesting the market has moved from overheated to stable appreciation.
Benchmark price change YoY — row / townhouse CREB: +5.6% Row housing continues to outperform other property types in percentage terms, driven by strong demand from buyers stepping up from condos and stepping down from detached. The row segment's relative affordability has attracted the broadest buyer pool.
Benchmark price change YoY — apartment condo CREB: +2.4% Apartment condos are appreciating at the slowest rate, reflecting supply additions from completed purpose-built rental and condo projects. Still positive — indicating the market is not oversupplied — but the margin above inflation is narrow in this segment.
New listings YoY change (April 2026 vs. April 2025) CREB: +8.2% More sellers came to market in April 2026 compared to April 2025. While supply is increasing, the pace of sales growth (+4.7% YoY) is keeping the market from softening. Sellers are listing with greater confidence as their own next-purchase plans are enabled by strong equity positions.
Sales volume YoY change (April 2026 vs. April 2025) CREB: +4.7% Year-over-year sales volume increase across all Calgary residential property types. The sustained demand comes despite affordability constraints from still-elevated prices, reflecting the continued population inflows to Alberta from Ontario, BC, and internationally.
Benchmark price — detached — May 2023 CREB: $672,800 Benchmark as of May 2023, shortly after the rapid recovery from the 2022 rate-shock correction. The market bounced sharply from an early-2023 trough as buyer demand re-emerged faster than new supply could respond. Reference point for 3-year appreciation context.
Benchmark price — detached — May 2024 CREB: $720,400 Benchmark as of May 2024. The 7.1% gain from May 2023 to May 2024 reflected sustained demand from interprovincial migration and the earliest Bank of Canada rate cuts beginning in June 2024. This was the strongest single-year appreciation for Calgary detached in 2023–2026.
Benchmark price — detached — May 2025 CREB: $738,200 Benchmark as of May 2025. Appreciation of 2.5% from May 2024 reflects a market that absorbed a 14-year supply peak in Q3 2025 without price declines, then resumed modest gains as inventory normalized. The 2025 market is widely characterized by analysts as "soft landing" territory.
Benchmark price — detached — April 2026 CREB: $762,500 April 2026 benchmark — 3.3% above May 2025. The three-year compounded gain from May 2023 to April 2026 is approximately 13.3%, or roughly 4.3% annualized — in line with Calgary's long-run historical appreciation rate of 4–5% per year.

4. 20-year historical context

Calgary's housing market has experienced five distinct cycles since 2006: the oil-boom peak, the 2008–2010 correction, the 2013–2014 energy-sector peak, the 2015–2016 oil-crash trough, the 2020 pandemic recovery, and the 2022–2026 sustained-growth period.

Detached benchmark / median — 2006 CREB: ~$420,000 Calgary's first major oil-boom housing cycle peaked in 2006–2007, driven by record WTI oil prices above $80/barrel. Prices in 2006 represented a near-doubling from 2000 levels. This period established Calgary as a high-cost-by-prairie-standards market for the first time.
Detached benchmark — 2013 peak (pre-oil-crash high) CREB: ~$506,000 Calgary detached prices reached a pre-crash cyclical high in late 2013 / early 2014, supported by oil prices above $90/barrel and strong in-migration from Eastern Canada. This peak would not be materially exceeded until late 2021, representing nearly 8 years of stagnation.
Detached benchmark — 2015–2016 oil crash trough CREB: ~$462,000 WTI oil prices collapsed from $100+ to under $30/barrel in 2015–2016, triggering mass layoffs in Calgary's energy sector. The housing market entered a prolonged buyer's market with double-digit months of supply. Prices declined 8–10% from the 2013–2014 peak, a relatively modest correction given the economic shock.
Detached benchmark — 2020 pandemic trough CREB: ~$468,000 Calgary entered the COVID-19 pandemic already in a slow-recovery mode from the oil crash. The Q2 2020 lockdown briefly froze transaction volumes, but prices remained relatively stable — partly because the market had already absorbed most of its oil-crash correction by 2019. The 2020 trough is thus modest compared to other Canadian cities.
Detached benchmark — 2022 rate-shock correction trough CREB: ~$617,000 After a spectacular 2021–early 2022 surge (prices rose nearly 30% in 18 months), the Bank of Canada's aggressive rate hike cycle — raising from 0.25% to 4.25% in 2022 — triggered a buyer pullback. Calgary's detached benchmark fell approximately 8% from its mid-2022 peak to a late-2022 / early-2023 trough. A comparatively mild correction versus Toronto or Vancouver.
Detached benchmark — 2023 new historical high CREB: ~$680,000 Calgary set a new all-time benchmark price record in H2 2023, propelled by a surge of interprovincial migrants from Ontario and BC seeking affordability, Alberta's oil-driven economic outperformance, and the fastest population growth rate in Calgary's modern history. The 2023 new high invalidated the "correction" narrative entirely.
Price appreciation — detached, 20-year (2006–2026) CREB: +81.5% From approximately $420,000 in 2006 to $762,500 in April 2026 — an 81.5% gain over 20 years, or approximately 3.0% compounded annually. This is materially below Toronto (+280%) and Vancouver (+310%) over the same period, explaining Calgary's enduring relative affordability for a major Canadian city.
Price appreciation vs. Canada average — 20-year CREB / CMHC: Calgary: +81.5% · Canada avg: +145% Calgary's 20-year price appreciation significantly lags the national average, which was heavily influenced by Vancouver and Toronto. This underperformance reflects Calgary's oil-crash years (2015–2019) when prices stagnated while coastal cities surged, and positions Calgary as one of Canada's best remaining value propositions for housing relative to income.

5. Financing & mortgage (2026)

Key federal and lender financing parameters governing what Calgary buyers can borrow. All rates and rules are subject to lender, OSFI, and government policy changes — confirm current figures with a licensed mortgage broker.

Bank of Canada policy interest rate (May 2026) Bank of Canada: 2.75% The Bank of Canada's overnight target rate as of May 2026, following a full easing cycle from the 5.00% peak of mid-2023. The rate was cut seven times between June 2024 and January 2025, then held steady as inflation returned to target. Prime rate at major Canadian lenders sits at 4.95% (policy rate + 2.2% spread).
Typical 5-year fixed mortgage rate range (May 2026) Bank of Canada / Lenders: 4.29% – 4.79% Indicative range for insured and conventional 5-year fixed mortgages from major Canadian chartered banks and monoline lenders in May 2026. Fixed rates are priced off 5-year Government of Canada bond yields, not the Bank of Canada policy rate directly. Rate varies by down payment, amortization, and borrower profile. Confirm exact rate with your mortgage broker.
Typical variable mortgage rate (May 2026) Bank of Canada / Lenders: Prime − 0.65% to − 0.90% (4.05% – 4.30%) Variable rates are quoted as a discount to the lender's prime rate (currently 4.95%). The gap between fixed and variable rates in May 2026 is narrower than during the 2024 easing cycle, when variable carried a more pronounced discount. Variable rate appropriateness depends on a borrower's cash flow, risk tolerance, and rate outlook.
Mortgage stress test qualifying rate (2026) OSFI / CMHC: Contract rate + 2.0% (min. 5.25%) All Canadian mortgage applicants must qualify at the higher of their actual contract rate plus 2.0 percentage points, or the regulatory floor of 5.25%. A buyer obtaining a 4.49% 5-year fixed must demonstrate they can afford payments at 6.49%. The stress test applies to insured and conventional mortgages at federally regulated lenders.
CMHC premium — 5% to 9.99% down payment CMHC: 4.00% of insured loan amount On a $600,000 purchase with 5% down ($30,000), the CMHC premium is 4.00% × $570,000 = $22,800, added to the mortgage. Alberta does not levy PST on CMHC premiums (saving ~$1,800 vs. Ontario). The premium amortizes over the mortgage term and adds a modest amount to monthly payments.
CMHC premium — 10% to 14.99% down payment CMHC: 3.10% of insured loan amount Increasing the down payment from 5% to 10% on a $600,000 purchase reduces the CMHC premium from ~$22,800 to ~$16,740 (3.10% × $540,000) — a saving of $6,060 in premium, plus interest saved over the amortization. A meaningful incentive to save an additional 5% down if feasible.
CMHC premium — 15% to 19.99% down payment CMHC: 2.80% of insured loan amount On a $600,000 purchase with 15% down ($90,000), the CMHC premium is 2.80% × $510,000 = $14,280. At 20% down, no CMHC premium applies at all. The marginal return from saving from 15% to 20% — eliminating the premium entirely — is often the most financially compelling down payment threshold.
Maximum insured purchase price (December 2024 onward) CMHC / OSFI: $1,500,000 As of December 15, 2024, the federal government raised the maximum home price eligible for CMHC-insured mortgages from $999,999 to $1.5 million. This directly benefits Calgary buyers in the $1M–$1.5M detached range, who can now access insured financing with as little as 5–10% down rather than requiring 20%.
Alberta land title transfer fee — indicative (on $762,500 purchase) Alberta Land Titles: ~$838 (title) + ~$502 (mortgage*) Alberta's title transfer fee scales at approximately $5.50 per $5,000 of value (or part thereof). On a $762,500 purchase: roughly 153 units × $5.47 ≈ $838. The mortgage registration fee applies separately to the mortgage amount at the same rate schedule. *Assuming a $610,000 mortgage (20% down): ~92 units × $5.47 ≈ $502. Alberta has no provincial land transfer tax — a significant buyer advantage over Ontario and BC.

6. Calgary economic context

Real estate markets are driven by underlying economic fundamentals. Calgary's persistent housing demand is rooted in population growth, employment strength, and income levels that compare favourably to other Canadian cities on affordability metrics.

Calgary CMA population — 2026 estimate Stats Canada: 1,665,000 Estimated Census Metropolitan Area population for the City of Calgary and surrounding municipalities (Airdrie, Chestermere, Cochrane, Okotoks, Rocky View County) as of mid-2026. Calgary has grown by approximately 250,000 residents since 2020 — a 17% increase in 6 years — making it one of the fastest-growing large cities in Canadian history.
Calgary CMA population growth rate — 2025/26 Stats Canada: 2.8% per year Calgary's annual population growth rate of 2.8% far exceeds the Canadian average of 1.3% and most comparable cities. Growth is driven by natural increase, international immigration, and—critically—net interprovincial migration from Ontario and BC, where housing affordability crises continue to push mobile workers to Alberta.
Net interprovincial migration to Alberta (2024, full year) Stats Canada: +54,200 persons Alberta was the top destination for Canadians relocating between provinces in 2024 — the fourth consecutive year of positive net interprovincial migration. The majority settled in Calgary and Edmonton. This migration is the single most important structural driver of Calgary housing demand in the 2022–2026 cycle.
Calgary employment rate (Q1 2026) Stats Canada LFS: 64.8% The share of the working-age population (15+) in Calgary currently employed. Calgary's employment rate consistently ranks among the highest of Canada's major CMAs, reflecting the city's younger age profile, high workforce participation, and diversifying economy (technology, professional services, clean energy alongside oil and gas).
Median household income — Calgary (2024, latest available) Stats Canada: $111,400 Calgary's median after-tax household income is the highest of any Canadian metropolitan area with population above 500,000 — reflecting the city's concentration of high-paying resource-sector, engineering, and professional-services employment. High median income partially offsets elevated housing prices in affordability calculations.
Alberta GDP growth (2025, full year) Stats Canada / Alberta Finance: +2.9% Alberta's real GDP growth in 2025 outpaced the national average of 1.6%, driven by energy-sector revenues at sustained WTI prices of $70–$80/barrel, significant LNG Canada throughput beginning in late 2025, and growing technology and agricultural sectors. Alberta remains Canada's economic growth engine.
Calgary price-to-income ratio — detached (April 2026) CREB / Stats Canada: 6.8× median household income The Calgary detached benchmark of $762,500 represents approximately 6.8× Calgary's median household income of $111,400. This is elevated by historical standards (the pre-2021 ratio was 4.5–5.0×) but dramatically more affordable than Toronto (12–13×) and Vancouver (14–16×), sustaining Calgary's relative appeal for domestic and international migrants.
Calgary affordability rank vs. major Canadian cities (2026) CMHC / RBC Economics: Most affordable major city in western Canada Among cities with population above 1 million, Calgary consistently ranks as more affordable than Vancouver (2.3× cheaper on detached benchmark), Toronto (1.9× cheaper), and Montreal (1.3× cheaper on benchmark, though income-adjusted it is close). Edmonton is the only large Canadian market cheaper than Calgary on an absolute basis, but Calgary's income advantage narrows that gap on affordability ratios.
Alberta tax advantage — Alberta vs. Ontario/BC (2026) CRA / Alberta Finance: $8,000–$14,000 higher take-home pay annually (income-dependent) Alberta has no provincial sales tax (no PST or HST on goods and services) and the lowest provincial income tax rates in Canada. A household earning $200,000 in Calgary retains approximately $10,000–$14,000 more in annual after-tax income than the same household in Ontario, effectively increasing real purchasing power and mortgage qualification capacity.

7. KARAKTER Realty performance benchmarks

Internal performance metrics for KARAKTER Realty's Calgary real estate practice. These figures are drawn from KARAKTER's own transaction records and are not independently audited; they are provided for reference and context.

Average days on market — KARAKTER listings KARAKTER: <21 days KARAKTER listings average fewer than 21 days on market across all property types, beating CREB's April 2026 all-residential benchmark of 24 days. Precision pricing, professional photography, and proactive buyer network outreach reduce time-to-offer while maintaining price integrity.
List-to-sale ratio — KARAKTER listings KARAKTER: >98% KARAKTER sellers achieve over 98 cents of every listed dollar in final sale price — consistently above the Calgary market average. This reflects disciplined pricing strategy: KARAKTER prices to market rather than aspirationally, avoiding the price reductions that erode both sale price and negotiating credibility.
Average client rating (Google + verified platforms) KARAKTER: 4.9 / 5.0 Based on verified client reviews across Google Business Profile and related platforms. KARAKTER's rating reflects a consistent client experience across buyers, sellers, and upsizers — not one-time exceptional results. The preponderance of reviews specifically cite communication clarity and transaction management under pressure.
Transactions closed (career total, 2014–2026) KARAKTER: 350+ Over 350 Calgary residential real estate transactions personally managed by Ryan Van Spengen since becoming licensed in 2014. Volume is intentionally moderate — KARAKTER is a boutique, personally managed practice, not a team-based volume operation. Every file involves Ryan directly.
Total volume transacted (career, 2014–2026) KARAKTER: $180M+ Cumulative transacted real estate value across all buyer and seller side engagements since 2014. The average transaction value of approximately $514,000 per deal reflects KARAKTER's broad Calgary buyer and seller client profile, with concentrations in the $500K–$1.1M range spanning SW and NW quadrant detached homes.
Years licensed — Ryan Van Spengen (KARAKTER Realty) KARAKTER / RECA: 12 years (since 2014) Ryan Van Spengen has been a RECA-licensed REALTOR® continuously since 2014, providing over a decade of Calgary market experience across three distinct cycles: the 2015–2016 oil crash and buyer's market, the 2019–2020 slow recovery, and the 2021–2026 strong seller's market. Licence status can be verified at reca.ca.
Primary service areas — Calgary quadrants KARAKTER: SW & NW Calgary (inner-city to suburban) KARAKTER's primary service concentration is in Calgary's SW and NW quadrants and inner-city communities — including Altadore, Marda Loop, Killarney, Aspen Woods, Springbank Hill, Tuscany, and Royal Oak. Ryan also works across SE and NE Calgary and has handled transactions throughout the city. Serves upsizers most frequently, alongside first-time buyers and estate executors.

Market statistics on this page are compiled from publicly available data published by CREB, CMHC, Statistics Canada, the Bank of Canada, and Alberta Finance. Benchmark prices, sales volumes, supply metrics, and financing parameters change monthly; always confirm current figures directly with the relevant source organization or your licensed mortgage broker. KARAKTER-specific metrics (Section 7) are based on internal transaction records and are not independently audited. Nothing on this page constitutes financial, legal, or investment advice. KARAKTER Realty is licensed under the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA).