I pulled the YTD MLS data for all 11 South Shore towns and compared it to the same period last year. Pembroke is on fire. Hull is giving buyers room. Hingham prices are stunning. Here's what's actually happening.
Every spring I pull the YTD MLS data for all 11 South Shore towns and look at how this year's market is stacking up against last year's. What I found in the April 2026 data is a market of genuine contrasts — some towns are moving faster than anything I've seen in years, a few are giving buyers unusual room to negotiate, and one is posting price gains that would have been hard to predict just 12 months ago. Here's the full picture.
The Data at a Glance
| Town | Avg Sale Price | YoY Change | Avg DOM | Absorption Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cohasset | $1,948,265 | +25.4% | 103 days | 56.4% |
| Duxbury | $1,587,200 | +13.1% | 60 days | 56.3% |
| Hanover | $960,354 | +8.9% | 38 days | 87.1% |
| Hingham | $2,171,541 | +36.7% | 79 days | 49.3% |
| Hull | $911,147 | +0.5% | 77 days | 26.1% |
| Kingston | $753,114 | -8.7% | 78 days | 76.3% |
| Marshfield | $878,592 | +0.7% | 53 days | 69.6% |
| Norwell | $1,262,214 | +19.5% | 86 days | 41.3% |
| Pembroke | $755,431 | +15.5% | 28 days | 120.8% |
| Plymouth | $794,214 | +9.0% | 63 days | 64.4% |
| Scituate | $1,150,192 | -10.4% | 43 days | 67.1% |
Data sourced from MLS PIN, YTD through April 18, 2026 (single-family homes). Compared to the same period in 2025.
The Story Town by Town
Pembroke: The Hottest Market on the South Shore Right Now
If I had to pick one number from this dataset that stopped me in my tracks, it's Pembroke's 120.8% absorption rate. That means more homes are going under agreement than are available on the market at any given time — buyers are competing for inventory that hasn't even fully arrived yet. Add in a 28-day average from listing to accepted offer (the fastest on the South Shore), and you have a market where preparation is the only competitive advantage.
Prices are up 15.5% year-over-year to an average of $755,431. For context: Pembroke was the town I was recommending to value-conscious buyers just 18 months ago. That window is closing. If Pembroke is on your list, move sooner rather than later.
Hingham: The Biggest Price Story of 2026
A 36.7% year-over-year increase in average sale price — to $2,171,541 — is a jaw-dropping number, and I want to be precise about what it means. Average sale prices can be influenced by a handful of high-value transactions, and Hingham's luxury segment has been active. But even accounting for that, the underlying demand signals are consistent: 2.03 months of supply, a 49.3% absorption rate, and an average of 79 days on market.
Hingham's ferry commute, the caliber of the downtown, and the school system continue to attract Boston professionals with substantial budgets. If you've been watching Hingham and wondering whether to wait — the data suggests that waiting has been costly.
Hull: The Most Negotiating Room on the South Shore
Hull stands out as the market with the most buyer-friendly conditions right now. A 26.1% absorption rate — the lowest on the South Shore — combined with 3.83 months of supply tells a clear story: more inventory than buyers, more time on market, more room to negotiate. Prices are essentially flat, up just 0.5% year-over-year to an average of $911,147.
This doesn't mean Hull is a bad buy — it means it's a buyer's market at the moment, which is increasingly rare anywhere on the South Shore. For buyers who want oceanfront access, a ferry commute to Boston, and more negotiating leverage than you'll find almost anywhere else in Greater Boston, Hull deserves a serious look right now.
Scituate: A Correction Worth Understanding
Scituate is showing a 10.4% year-over-year decline in average sale price, which might look alarming at first. But context matters: 2025 was an unusually strong year for Scituate's high-end segment, and the YTD sample size is relatively small (23 transactions). The underlying market is healthy — a 67.1% absorption rate and 43-day average DOM both point to a market where well-priced homes are moving cleanly. This looks like a normalization after an elevated prior year, not a structural decline.
Hanover: Overlooked No More
Hanover's 87.1% absorption rate is second only to Pembroke, and the combination of 38-day average DOM and 8.9% price appreciation suggests a town that buyers are treating more seriously than ever. At an average sale price of $960,354, Hanover now represents meaningful value relative to coastal towns at $1M+ — particularly for buyers who don't need daily water views and do need excellent schools and Route 3 access.
What This Means for Buyers Right Now
- In Pembroke and Hanover: you need a pre-approval and a clear offer strategy before you tour. These markets don't wait.
- In Hingham and Cohasset: prices are elevated and rising. If these towns are in your budget, the cost of waiting is real and measurable.
- In Hull: this is the moment to negotiate. Buyer leverage rarely appears on the South Shore — use it if Hull fits your criteria.
- In Scituate: don't be scared off by the headline YoY number. The absorption rate and DOM tell a healthier underlying story.
- In Kingston: prices are down 8.7% YoY, but units sold are up significantly (28 vs. 21 last year) — demand is real, prices have just corrected. This may be an opportunity.
The Big Picture
The South Shore is not one market — it's 11 markets behaving differently at the same time. The mistake buyers make is applying a single narrative ("the market is hot" or "wait it out") to a region that requires town-by-town analysis. Pembroke is on fire. Hull is soft. Hingham is expensive and getting more so. Scituate looks like a buying opportunity if you read the right numbers.
My job is to make sure you're looking at the right data for the specific town you're targeting — and translating that data into a strategy that works for your timeline and budget. If you're planning to buy on the South Shore this year, now is a good time to have that conversation.
Want a deeper dive on any of these towns — or a custom comparison for your specific price range and criteria? Reach out and let's talk through the numbers together.
Harold Jones
Licensed MA Real Estate Agent · EXP Realty · License #244758
Harold grew up in Southeastern Massachusetts and has been helping buyers find their perfect South Shore home for over 5 years. He lives in Whitman with his wife, two kids, and golden retriever.
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