Home prices by town on the South Shore: double from one city to the next

"We're looking on the South Shore, budget $650,000." I hear it every week. And every time, my first question is the same: which town? Because $650,000 opens up almost all of Longueuil, but it won't even get you in the door in Saint-Lambert.

"The South Shore" is not one price

We talk about the South Shore as if it were a single market. It is really a dozen markets pressed up against each other, and the price gaps are huge. In the third quarter of 2026, the median single-family house in the Montreal metropolitan area sold for $645,500, up 2 per cent year over year, according to APCIQ. That is a useful average to keep in mind. But an average always hides the extremes, and on the South Shore, the extremes sit a long way apart.

What a house costs, town by town

Here is roughly where median single-family prices sit this fall, based on quarterly Centris and APCIQ data. Keep in mind these are medians: half the sales happen above the figure, half below.

• Saint-Lambert: above $1.1M. By far the most expensive market on the South Shore, carried by its mature streets, its closeness to downtown, and a limited supply.
• Boucherville: about $838,750, up 9 per cent year over year. The fastest-climbing of the region's big markets.
• Brossard: around $739,500, up 2 per cent. The REM and its newer neighbourhoods keep demand strong.
• Longueuil: about $600,000, up 3 per cent. The most accessible entry point among the central South Shore cities.

Saint-Bruno, La Prairie, Candiac and Saint-Hubert fall between these poles, each with its own neighbourhood logic. I am not posting a median figure for them here, because the published numbers vary by period and by source. I would rather give you the right comparable for your street than an average that doesn't fit your case.

Why the gap is so wide

Most of the difference comes down to three things. First, distance from downtown and access to transit. Saint-Lambert sits at the Victoria Bridge, and Brossard now has the REM, and that closeness gets paid for. Second, the housing stock. A town of 1960s bungalows on big lots is not the same product as a new-build sector or a street of century-old prestige homes. Third, supply. Where little gets built and owners stay put, as in Saint-Lambert, scarcity pushes prices up. Where there is more turnover and choice, as in Longueuil, buyers get a little room to breathe.

Price, but also speed

Price is only half the story. The other half is how long a house takes to sell, and towns differ there too. Based on this year's Centris compilations, a house was selling in about ten days in Longueuil and Boucherville, a little over two weeks in Saint-Lambert, and around three to four weeks in Brossard. In other words, the most expensive town is not necessarily the fastest, and the most affordable often moves the quickest. For a seller or a buyer, that pace matters as much as the asking price.

Financing, always in the background

Whatever the town, the cost of borrowing is the same. The Bank of Canada raised its policy rate to 2.5 per cent on October 28, its first hike since the summer of 2023, which pushed prime to around 4.70 per cent. The best five-year fixed rates are running between 4.3 and 4.6 per cent in Quebec. In practice, the gap between a $600,000 house and an $840,000 one is not settled only at purchase. It comes back every month in the mortgage payment, for years. So choosing a town is also choosing a monthly budget, not just a down payment.

What it means for you

• If you're selling: never set your price on "the South Shore." Your comparable is your town, your type of house and your street, not the regional average. A Longueuil house listed at a Brossard comparable just sits; an underpriced Saint-Lambert house leaves money on the table. The right first-day price depends on the right sector.
• If you're buying: let the budget pick the town, not the other way around. With $650,000 you shop comfortably in Longueuil, you aim at the bottom of the market in Brossard, and you skip Saint-Lambert unless you're looking at a condo or a house to renovate. Knowing that from the start saves you months of disappointing visits.
• If you're investing: the price gap between neighbouring towns is your playing field. A buyer who can no longer afford Boucherville looks at Longueuil or Saint-Hubert, and that spillover supports rental demand and resale in the more affordable towns. Watch days on market by sector as closely as prices: they tell you where demand is real.

These figures are for whole towns, not your address. A bungalow to renovate and a fully redone house on the same street can be $200,000 apart. Before you list or make an offer, let's talk about your real comparables, sector by sector. Request a free home evaluation or write to me, and we'll look at your specific case. You can also read my take on the market's fall rebound.