Trinity Episcopal Church and Parish House · Photo: Stephen Schweitzer · CC BY-SA 4.0320 homes sold in Watertown in the last year, at a typical $203K
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 Watertown homes are listed.
Every place Watertown 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 Watertown.
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.
Houses are 86% of Watertown’s sales, at a typical $205K
320 homes sold in the year to May 2026.
typical sale · 274 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $128NY $316
- Days to sell
- 80
- Sold over asking
- 38%
- Listings with a price cut
- 25%
Multi-family (2–4 units): 36 sold, typical $165K
Townhouses: 10 sold, typical $222K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
About as many homes sell as usual, at 1.8 times the 2016 price
320 sales in the last year, against 475 in 2021 and a low of 186 in 2015. The typical sale went from $111K in 2016 to $203K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales.
What $200K buys in Watertown
Check a listing against what Watertown 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 Watertown are more common than before the pandemic, but 39% fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of Watertown’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 May 2026, 320 sales.
If you’re buying in Watertown
- Shop in April. It brings about 46 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (27% over asking).
- Offer under asking. Buyers paid 97.7% of the list price on average; 37% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 32% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 82 days.
Summer brings the homes; fall brings the bidding wars
June has the most new listings (about 53 a month), but September is the most competitive: 37% of September sales close over asking. April and May offer nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (27%). January has the least competition (19%) but only about 28 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Nearly as heated as 2021, and about like New York as a whole
| Watertown now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | NY now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 37% | 22% | 35% | 41% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 32% | 1% | 18% | 26% |
| Listings with a price cutShare of homes for sale that cut their price | 24% | — | 14% | 20% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 97.7% | 95.3% | 98.3% | 101% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 82 | 134 | 90 | 41 |
131 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 1.2 times the 2023 low (107), 39% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2015’s 267.
1 in 4 listings has cut its price
24% in the last year, against — in 2017–19 and 20% across New York.
Watertown ranks 307th of 362 busy New York markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Watertown is one of the state’s calmer markets.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city market tracker, January 2012 to May 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Watertown home costs about $1,348 a month
Price: Watertown’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Watertown’s 1.7% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Watertown is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in June
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 22.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $203K home, about $3,470 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Watertown, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in WatertownTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Watertown.
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.
Carthage sells for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of Watertown, 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watertown | 320 | $203K | $122 | 37% | 82 |
| Carthage | 58 | $189K | $106 | 31% | 103 |
| West Carthage | 38 | $212K | $121 | 39% | 126 |
| Black River | 24 | $251K | $132 | 33% | 96 |
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 Watertown, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Watertown. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Watertown with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Watertown
What do homes sell for in Watertown, NY?
320 homes sold in the year to May 2026 at a typical $203K, $122 a square foot.
Is Watertown a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A balanced market: 135 homes were for sale in May 2026 and 23 sold, about 5.9 months of supply. Buyers paid 97.7% of asking on average, and 24% of listings cut their price.
When is the best time to buy in Watertown?
June brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Watertown?
About 1.7% of a home’s value a year. On a $203K home that’s near $3,470.
Where can I see homes for sale in Watertown?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Watertown’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Watertown.
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).