Photo: Scott Saghirian · CC BY 2.0745 homes sold in Ellicott City in the last year, at a typical $713K
Houses and condos split the market almost evenly. 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 Ellicott City homes are listed.
Every place Ellicott City 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 Ellicott City.
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.
14% of Ellicott City’s sales are condos, at $419K less than a house
427 houses and 103 condos sold in the year to May 2026. Houses sell faster and draw more bidding wars.
typical sale · 427 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $268MD $239
- Days to sell
- 17
- Sold over asking
- 58%
- Listings with a price cut
- 32%
typical sale · 103 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $267MD $234
- Days to sell
- 39
- Sold over asking
- 22%
- Listings with a price cut
- 36%
Townhouses: 187 sold, typical $625K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
Fewer homes sell than before 2022, at 1.5 times the 2016 price
745 sales in the last year, against 1,146 in 2021 and a low of 721 in 2023. The typical sale went from $481K in 2016 to $713K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales. Redfin stopped publishing towns’ figures by property type after May 2026, so houses and condos are shown for the year to then.
What $700K buys in Ellicott City
Check a listing against what Ellicott City 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 Ellicott City are more common than before the pandemic, but half fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of Ellicott City’s home sales since 2012 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 September 2026, 745 sales.
If you’re buying in Ellicott City
- Shop in March. It brings about 110 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (39% over asking).
- Bid near asking. Buyers paid 101.7% of the list price on average; 50% paid over.
- Move fast on good ones. 61% of homes are under contract within two weeks.
Spring brings the homes; summer brings the bidding wars
May has the most new listings (about 133 a month), but June is the most competitive: 43% of June sales close over asking. March and April offer nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (39%). January has the least competition (27%) but only about 52 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Nearly as heated as 2021, and hotter than Maryland
| Ellicott City now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | MD now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 50% | 22% | 53% | 32% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 61% | 32% | 72% | 40% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 101.7% | 99% | 102.2% | 99.7% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 22 | 31 | 12 | 46 |
88 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 1.4 times the 2024 low (62), 50% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2014’s 239.
Since 2019, houses are up 40%, condos 26%
A house typically sold for $801K in the year to May 2026 (427 sales), a condo for $382K (103).
Median sale price, weighted by sales each month. Years with fewer than 4 sales of a type are left out.
Ellicott City ranks 5th of 193 busy Maryland markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Ellicott City is one of the state’s hottest markets.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city figures, January 2012 to September 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Ellicott City home costs about $4,442 a month
Price: Ellicott City’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Ellicott City’s 1.2% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Ellicott City is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in May
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 34.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $713K home, about $8,670 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Ellicott City, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in Ellicott CityTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Ellicott City.
Work & commuteCheck 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.
Catonsville, Woodlawn, Columbia, Milford Mill and Randallstown sell for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of Ellicott City, 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | 1,160 | $501K | $253 | 47% | 25 |
| Ellicott City | 745 | $713K | $265 | 50% | 22 |
| Catonsville | 543 | $418K | $232 | 49% | 26 |
| Woodlawn | 365 | $352K | $199 | 39% | 32 |
| Ilchester | 320 | $582K | $264 | 41% | 28 |
| Randallstown | 236 | $390K | $192 | 42% | 33 |
| Milford Mill | 162 | $338K | $189 | 44% | 27 |
Redfin Data Center, October 2025 to September 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Ellicott City, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Ellicott City. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Ellicott City with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Ellicott City
What do homes sell for in Ellicott City, MD?
745 homes sold in the year to September 2026 at a typical $713K, $265 a square foot. Houses sold for about $801K, condos for about $382K in the year to May 2026.
Is Ellicott City a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 109 homes were for sale in September 2026 and 82 sold, about 1.3 months of supply. Buyers paid 101.7% of asking on average.
When is the best time to buy in Ellicott City?
May brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Ellicott City?
About 1.2% of a home’s value a year. On a $713K home that’s near $8,670.
Where can I see homes for sale in Ellicott City?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Ellicott City’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Ellicott City.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). 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).