Archived edition · View the latest edition
The difference between category medians widened on both comparisons. It increased by 6.5% from August's $221,500 and by 9.5% from September last year's $215,522.50. These percentages describe the change in the gap itself, not the appreciation of a home.
How did the four categories compare?
| Property type | Sept. 2025 median | Aug. 2026 median | Sept. 2026 median | Sept. middle half | Sept. valid sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single detached | $816,500 | $804,500 | $824,000 | $700,000–$986,250 | 388 |
| Freehold townhouse | $600,977.5 | $583,000 | $588,000 | $531,000–$648,000 | 225 |
| Apartment condominium | $375,000 | $386,750 | $380,000 | $294,000–$515,875 | 109 |
| Townhouse condominium | $399,700 | $386,000 | $368,000 | $344,375–$402,750 | 80 |
Detached median prices increased by $19,500 from August, while the freehold-townhouse median increased by $5,000. Subtracting those independently calculated medians produces the $14,500 widening.
Over the annual comparison, the detached median was $7,500 higher and the freehold-townhouse median was $12,977.50 lower. Both movements contributed to the wider gap. These are different sale samples with no matching for location, size or condition.
Is $236,000 the cash needed to move up?
No. It is a difference between the middle sale prices of two categories. It is not the difference between a particular owner's current home and the detached property they want to buy. It also excludes mortgage balances, transaction costs, financing terms and ongoing ownership expenses.
A useful household comparison starts with a realistic sale range for the current property and recent comparable sales for the target property. The category gap is context for that exercise, not a budget approval or a recommendation about when to move.
Thirteen months of context
| Month | Detached median | Freehold townhouse median | Difference | Detached n | Townhouse n |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-09 | $816,500 | $600,977.5 | $215,522.5 | 424 | 224 |
| 2025-10 | $820,000 | $606,611 | $213,389 | 475 | 242 |
| 2025-11 | $780,000 | $600,000 | $180,000 | 324 | 188 |
| 2025-12 | $750,000 | $598,000 | $152,000 | 186 | 135 |
| 2026-01 | $773,000 | $606,250 | $166,750 | 208 | 140 |
| 2026-02 | $802,000 | $599,200 | $202,800 | 264 | 172 |
| 2026-03 | $830,000 | $606,500 | $223,500 | 427 | 236 |
| 2026-04 | $844,000 | $600,000 | $244,000 | 490 | 267 |
| 2026-05 | $850,000 | $600,000 | $250,000 | 648 | 333 |
| 2026-06 | $847,000 | $600,000 | $247,000 | 640 | 286 |
| 2026-07 | $815,000 | $598,200 | $216,800 | 484 | 260 |
| 2026-08 | $804,500 | $583,000 | $221,500 | 380 | 207 |
| 2026-09 | $824,000 | $588,000 | $236,000 | 388 | 225 |
The monthly series shows how the difference moved rather than treating two observations as a sustained trend. Every point uses the same extraction and category definitions. No seasonal adjustment or repeat-sales model is applied.
Why does August differ from the earlier articles?
The original August archive reported a $222,500 gap from its earlier extraction. The later trend article reported $221,750. Re-extracting August on October 6 produces $221,500. These are dated snapshots; earlier published values should not be silently replaced.
For this September comparison, August and the prior September were recalculated from the same fresh source run. The calculation uses the exact $600,977.50 freehold-townhouse median in September 2025, retaining cents in the comparison rather than rounding before subtracting.
Take the gap to the areas you are considering
The new Q3 area study separates the townhouse-to-detached gap within six eligible provider areas. It answers a different question from this September citywide comparison. For a move-up review with Matt, identify the current home, target locations and essential features so that both sides of the proposed move can be assessed separately.
Source and methods
Data source: PropTx, retrieved October 6, 2026, beginning at 23:53 UTC (7:53 p.m. Toronto). New Purveyors Lab calculations use records marked Sold and For Sale, with CountyOrParish equal to Ottawa. This provider geography is not asserted to match the municipal boundary or the entire Ottawa board territory. Reporting months use PurchaseContractDate—the recorded date of the accepted sale agreement—not the closing date.
The September analysis includes 802 sold listing episodes: 388 single detached, 225 freehold townhouses, 109 apartment condominiums and 80 townhouse condominiums. Another 85 records in the broad residential extraction fall outside those four categories. The comparison samples contain 788 selected episodes in August 2026 and 893 in September 2025. Each headline metric has its own valid denominator; all selected records in these three months have usable sale prices, both asking-price fields and nonnegative provider days on market.
All three periods were retrieved in the same October 6 run. Two August episodes present in the September 19 extraction are no longer returned; the shared price and duration fields of retained records are unchanged. This is a source revision, not market activity occurring between the extraction dates. Prior published editions retain their original figures.
Medians and middle-half ranges use unrounded inputs and linearly interpolated quartiles. At least 30 valid observations are required for a displayed median or percentage denominator. No outlier trimming was applied. Relistings are not linked into unique homes. Withheld records, later updates, changing sales mix and unmeasured location, size and condition differences limit interpretation. These sold-only samples do not measure available inventory or the probability of selling.
Discuss these findings
For help applying these findings to a property or a move, contact Matt Richling. Include the area, property type and timing that matter to you.
Cite this edition
Richling, Matt. “What was Ottawa’s townhouse-to-detached price gap in September 2026?” New Purveyors Lab. September 2026. Updated October 7, 2026. Permanent edition.