Photo: Illinois2011 · CC BY 3.0352 homes sold in Alton in the last year, at a typical $130K
Almost every sale is a house. Below: what each kind of home sells for, what your budget buys, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Alton homes are listed.
Every place Alton homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Alton.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
4% of Alton’s sales are condos, at $72K more than a house
326 houses and 13 condos sold in the year to May 2026. Houses sell faster and draw more bidding wars.
typical sale · 326 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $97IL $180
- Days to sell
- 46
- Sold over asking
- 35%
- Listings with a price cut
- 24%
typical sale · 13 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $134IL $251
- Days to sell
- 50
- Sold over asking
- 23%
- Listings with a price cut
- 50%
Multi-family (2–4 units): 12 sold, typical $111K
Townhouses: 1 sold, typical $113K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
About as many homes sell as usual, at twice the 2016 price
352 sales in the last year, against 476 in 2021 and a low of 268 in 2013. The typical sale went from $63K in 2016 to $130K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales.
What $150K buys in Alton
Check a listing against what Alton homes sold for
Against the town’s median price per square foot over the last 12 months. A rough check: condition, lot and location within town move a price more than this can see.
Bidding wars in Alton are more common than before the pandemic, but half fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of Alton’s home sales since 2013 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to May 2026, 352 sales.
If you’re buying in Alton
- Shop in March. It brings about 40 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (21% over asking).
- Some room to negotiate. 24% of listings cut their price, about as many as before the pandemic.
- Offer under asking. Buyers paid 97.6% of the list price on average; 34% paid over.
Summer brings the homes; spring brings the bidding wars
June has the most new listings (about 45 a month), but May is the most competitive: 32% of May sales close over asking. March and April offer nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (21%). January has the least competition (15%) but only about 27 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Nearly as heated as 2021, and about like Illinois as a whole
| Alton now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | IL now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 34% | 14% | 26% | 37% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | — | — | — | 46% |
| Listings with a price cutShare of homes for sale that cut their price | 24% | 26% | 21% | 19% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 97.6% | 93.7% | 95.3% | 99.2% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 47 | 75 | 51 | 49 |
82 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 1.3 times the 2024 low (61), 52% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2017’s 198.
1 in 4 listings has cut its price
24% in the last year, against 26% in 2017–19 and 19% across Illinois.
Houses and condos, year by year
A house typically sold for $130K in the last year (326 sales), a condo for $203K (13).
Median sale price, weighted by sales each month. Years with fewer than 4 sales of a type are left out.
Alton ranks 214th of 324 busy Illinois markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Alton is in the middle of the pack.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city market tracker, January 2013 to May 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Alton home costs about $877 a month
Price: Alton’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Alton’s 1.8% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Alton is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in June
The month with the most choice. January has the fewest, about 27.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $130K home, about $2,390 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Alton, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in AltonCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
Hartford sells for less a square foot; Godfrey and Bethalto for far more
The busier markets within 25 miles of Alton, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alton | 352 | $130K | $98 | 34% | 47 |
| Godfrey | 247 | $210K | $124 | 34% | 44 |
| Bethalto | 141 | $194K | $141 | 45% | 40 |
| Wood River | 119 | $138K | $106 | 36% | 33 |
| East Alton | 84 | $108K | $100 | 38% | 47 |
| Rosewood Heights | 52 | $188K | $119 | 40% | 36 |
| Hartford | 22 | $102K | $90 | 36% | 43 |
Redfin Data Center, June 2025 to May 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Alton, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Alton. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Alton with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Alton
What do homes sell for in Alton, IL?
352 homes sold in the year to May 2026 at a typical $130K, $98 a square foot. Houses sold for about $130K, condos for about $203K.
Is Alton a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 81 homes were for sale in May 2026 and 26 sold, about 3.1 months of supply. Buyers paid 97.6% of asking on average, and 24% of listings cut their price.
When is the best time to buy in Alton?
June brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Alton?
About 1.8% of a home’s value a year. On a $130K home that’s near $2,390.
Where can I see homes for sale in Alton?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Alton’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Alton.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).