These three major Alberta cities are the most in-demand to buy a house in
While things are cooling in spots like Edmonton and Calgary, a few spots in Alberta are still seeing a jump in the price of detached houses.
According to market statistics for January 2026 from the Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA), the average price of a detached home in the province sat at $604,761, a 1.8 per cent year-over-year increase.
While major hubs like Edmonton and Calgary have seen a price slowdown, three major cities in the province saw the average price of a detached home rise year-over-year, and where they are may surprise you.
City of Medicine Hat/Facebook
Medicine Hat led the province with a 9.3 per cent year-over-year increase to rise to an average price of $457,324; Fort McMurray came in second place with a seven per cent increase to hit $464,038.
While still rising, but not nearly as much as Medicine Hat and Fort McMurray, Lethbridge came in third with a 5.4 per cent increase to land at $469,848.
Edmonton saw a 2.3 per cent decrease, landing at $538,198, while Calgary saw a 3.3 per cent decrease in prices, to come to $675,000.
Grande Prairie saw the second most significant year-over-year decline out of all the major Alberta cities, slipping by 4.2 per cent, and the average price for a detached home came in at $381,103. Red Deer saw the largest decline, seeing a 6.8 per cent dip in the average price for a detached home, landing at $429,468.
Looking at the province as a whole, the AREA stated January saw a 19.2 per cent year-over-year drop in sales, with the biggest drops seen in row housing and apartments for the tenth straight month. New listings decreased by 1.3 per cent year-over-year. Inventory increased 11.6 per cent year over year. The sales-to-new listings fell to 47 per cent.
There were 3.84 months of supply in January, up 38.1 per cent year-over-year. Calgary and Edmonton are continuing to see a loosening of supplies, while Grande Prairie continues to have the tightest conditions in the province, having 1.64 months of supply. Fort McMurray rose significantly to 4.47 months. All regions experienced year-to-date average price declines except Calgary (+2 per cent) and Medicine Hat (+19 per cent).
You can view the full statistics online.