$700K vs. $1M vs. $2M in Westchester County: Understanding Your Budget in 2026

If you're thinking about buying in Westchester County, you may be trying to figure out what a $700,000, $1 million or $2 million budget means here.

The first thing to understand is that a countywide price doesn't tell you what a specific property will look like.

Property type matters. Location matters. Condition, lot size, property taxes and recurring charges can matter too. And the homes available at a particular budget can change as inventory changes.

I'm John Buoninfante, a Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker with Real Broker NY LLC, and I move people in and out of Westchester.

Here's what the current countywide data can tell us about those three budgets, and what you still need to look at once you start comparing actual properties.

Start With the Westchester County Median

According to OneKey MLS, the median sale price for a single-family home in Westchester County was $1,060,000 for the 12 months through August 2026, up 9.3% from $970,000 during the previous comparable period.

That gives us a useful reference point for the three budgets in this article:

• $700,000 is below the countywide single-family median.
• $1 million is slightly below the countywide single-family median.
• $2 million is well above the countywide single-family median.

Those comparisons do not tell us what a particular budget will buy in Scarsdale, White Plains, Tarrytown, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, Hastings-on-Hudson or anywhere else in the county.

A countywide median is context. It isn't a shopping list.

Source: OneKey MLS, Westchester County Single-Family Homes, 12 months through August 2026.

What Does a $700K Budget Mean in Westchester?

A $700,000 budget sits below the $1,060,000 countywide median sale price for single-family homes during the 12 months through August 2026.

That doesn't mean you can't find housing in Westchester around $700,000. It means you shouldn't use the countywide single-family median to predict what the available choices will be.

Property type is one reason. During the same 12-month period, the Westchester County median sale price was $550,000 for condos and $240,000 for co-ops, according to OneKey MLS. That puts a $700,000 budget in a different position depending on whether you're looking at single-family homes, condos or co-ops.

The next step is to look at current inventory in the specific locations and property types you're considering rather than assuming what $700,000 should buy based on a countywide number.

Source: OneKey MLS, Westchester County, 12 months through August 2026.

What Does a $1 Million Budget Mean in Westchester?

A $1 million budget was close to, but still below, the $1,060,000 countywide median single-family sale price for the 12 months through August 2026.

The difference between $1 million and the countywide median was $60,000, but that doesn't mean adding $60,000 produces a predictable change in bedrooms, square footage, lot size or condition. Those characteristics have to be evaluated in the actual properties available.

This is where a countywide statistic reaches its limit. Once you're shopping at a specific budget, current listings and recent comparable sales in the locations and property types you're considering become much more useful than the countywide median by itself.

What Does a $2 Million Budget Mean in Westchester?

A $2 million budget is substantially above the $1,060,000 countywide median single-family sale price from the same 12-month period, but it would be misleading to translate that difference into a standard Westchester house.

The information currently available here does not establish that $2 million consistently buys a certain square footage, condition, lot size or set of features across Westchester County.

The useful comparison is property-specific: what is currently available around that price, what comparable properties have recently sold for, what the property taxes are, what condition the home is in and how those factors differ among the locations you're considering.

Property Type Can Change the Budget Comparison

One of the easiest ways to misread Westchester pricing is to compare different property types as though they're interchangeable.

For the 12 months through August 2026, OneKey MLS reported these countywide median sale prices:

• Single-family homes: $1,060,000
• Condos: $550,000
• Co-ops: $240,000

Those medians don't mean one property type offers better value than another. Single-family homes, condos and co-ops can involve different ownership structures, taxes, recurring charges and maintenance responsibilities. If you're deciding between property types, compare the complete ownership picture rather than purchase price alone.

Source: OneKey MLS, Westchester County, 12 months through August 2026.

Current Inventory Matters Too

A budget doesn't operate in a fixed market.

In August 2026, OneKey MLS reported 297 new single-family listings in Westchester County, down 15.6% from August 2025. Inventory stood at 774 homes, compared with 906 the previous August. The August median sale price was $1,205,000, up 9.5% from August 2025, and sellers received an average of 105.7% of their original asking price. One month doesn't tell the entire story, though.

Over the 12 months through August 2026, 4,586 single-family homes closed, compared with 4,576 during the previous comparable period. Median days on market declined from 41 to 37, while inventory declined 4.4%.

Those figures describe countywide conditions. They don't tell you whether a particular $700,000, $1 million or $2 million property will receive multiple offers, how quickly it will sell or what a buyer should offer. For those questions, the relevant current inventory and recent comparable sales in the specific market and price range matter more.

Source: OneKey MLS Local Market Update, Westchester County Single-Family Homes, August 2026.

Property Taxes Can Change What a Budget Really Costs

Purchase price is only part of the financial comparison.

Two homes at the same price can have different property-tax bills. A condo or co-op may also involve recurring charges that need to be considered separately from the purchase price.

For a specific property, review the available tax information, assessment, applicable taxing jurisdictions and exemptions rather than estimating taxes from the asking price or a generic countywide percentage.

When clarification is needed, the appropriate municipal assessor's office can provide property-specific assessment information. That doesn't guarantee what a future tax bill will be, but it provides a better basis for evaluating the property than an assumption.

Condition Can Change the Meaning of the Purchase Price

Two homes offered at similar prices can involve different ownership decisions once you look at condition.

Depending on the property, roofing, electrical systems, plumbing, HVAC, drainage, foundation, prior renovations and other conditions may become part of the due-diligence process.

That doesn't mean an older property or a property needing work is automatically a worse choice. It means purchase price alone doesn't establish the complete financial picture.

A home inspection and, when appropriate, evaluation by additional qualified specialists can provide more property-specific information before a purchase decision.

Location Should Be Evaluated From the Actual Property

A town name doesn't tell you everything about a property's location. If Metro-North access, downtown access, a particular destination or another location-specific factor matters to your search, measure it from the actual property.

The same applies to school-district geography. A mailing address, municipality and school district should not automatically be treated as the same thing in Westchester. If district information matters to your purchase, verify the district serving the specific property and use objective information from the district and the New York State Education Department.

The goal isn't to rank locations or school districts. It's to make sure you're comparing accurate property-specific information.

How Should You Compare $700K, $1M and $2M in Westchester?

Start with the budget, but don't stop there. For actual properties you're considering, compare:

1. Purchase price
2. Property type
3. Current inventory in that price range
4. Recent comparable sales
5. Property taxes
6. Condo or co-op charges, when applicable
7. Property condition
8. Lot and property characteristics
9. Location relative to the places you need to reach
10. Property-specific school-district information when relevant to your search

That gives you a more useful comparison than assuming every $700,000, $1 million or $2 million home in Westchester should look a certain way.

Frequently Asked Questions About Westchester Home Prices

Is $700K enough to buy a home in Westchester County?

A $700,000 budget is below the countywide median sale price for single-family homes, which was $1,060,000 for the 12 months through August 2026. Westchester condo and co-op medians were lower, at $550,000 and $240,000 respectively. What is actually available around $700,000 depends on current inventory, location and property type.

Is $1 million enough to buy a single-family home in Westchester?

The countywide single-family median was $1,060,000 for the 12 months through August 2026, so $1 million was slightly below that median. A median does not establish whether inventory matching your search exists, so current listings and recent sales in the locations you're considering are the more useful next step.

What does a $2 million budget buy in Westchester?

There isn't one countywide answer. A $2 million budget was well above the $1,060,000 countywide single-family median for the 12 months through August 2026, but the specific homes available at that price can differ by location, condition, property characteristics, taxes and current inventory.

Are condos and co-ops less expensive than single-family homes in Westchester?

Countywide median sale prices were lower for condos and co-ops during the 12 months through August 2026: $550,000 for condos and $240,000 for co-ops, compared with $1,060,000 for single-family homes. Those medians don't establish which property type is a better financial choice because ownership structure, recurring charges, taxes and maintenance responsibilities can differ.

Are Westchester home prices increasing?

For single-family homes, the countywide median sale price for the 12 months through August 2026 was $1,060,000, up 9.3% from $970,000 during the previous comparable period. That is a countywide trend and should not be assumed to describe every municipality, property type or price range.

What should I look at after deciding on my Westchester budget?

Look at current inventory and recent comparable sales in the specific locations and property types you're considering. Then compare property taxes, condition, recurring charges where applicable and property-specific location factors. That turns a general budget into an actual home search.

Trying to Figure Out What Your Budget Means in Westchester?

If you're still learning the county, my Moving to Westchester County Guide is an available next step for broader relocation research.

If you're further along and have a budget in mind, I can help you compare current OneKey MLS inventory, recent sales, property taxes and the specific properties you're considering.

I'm John Buoninfante, a Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker with Real Broker NY LLC.

I move people in and out of Westchester. The goal isn't to tell you which town or property is "best." It's to give you the property and market information you need to compare the choices available within your budget.

Moving to Westchester County Guide:
Download the Moving to Westchester County Guide

Market information reflects OneKey MLS data through August 2026 and is subject to change. Countywide medians are market context and should not be interpreted as a prediction of the price, availability or characteristics of a specific property. Property-tax and school-district information should be confirmed for the specific property being considered. This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice.