From Market Journal IQ
The History of the National City Depot
The first through train on the Santa Fe left here in November 1885.
One of the most accessible price points in the county, a diverse, revitalizing bayside city minutes from downtown San Diego and the waterfront.
National City offers real value close to the city center, and buyers are responding: homes sell in about three weeks and a little over ask. Affordability keeps demand steady.
The trailing-3-month median sits around $731,000, with about 4.1 months of supply, homes selling near 102.9% of original price, and a median of roughly 23 days on market.
Over five years the median sale price in National City is up about 21% and the price per square foot is up about 24%. The two agree, which is what you want to see. It means the gain reflects prices rising rather than a shift in the kind of home selling, so the headline number is a fair read on what an owner gained.
Price per square foot is the sale price divided by the home's interior square footage.
Both figures use the same smoothed five year comparison: the average of the last twelve monthly medians against the average of the first twelve. A gap of eight points or more is treated as a mix shift. That threshold was set by testing, not picked: an earlier version flagged nine of nineteen areas, which is noise. It now flags eight of forty.
National City is a rare affordable foothold this close to downtown and the bay, so well-priced homes move fast. Come pre-approved and ready to compete.
With homes selling in about three weeks at or a little over full ask, National City sellers benefit from steady, value-driven demand. Prepare well and price to the trend.
Supply is running around 4.1 months. As long as listings stay scarce, prices hold firm; a meaningful rise in inventory would be the first sign of easing.
Rates sit higher than they were a couple of years ago, the main headwind on demand. A meaningful drop would likely bring buyers off the sidelines quickly.
Get Pre-Approved →Affordability and a central location keep National City's market active and seller-favored, with quick sales and firm pricing at a friendlier entry point than most of San Diego.
This is a focused market, so a single month's median can spike or dip. Weigh the multi-year trajectory, the bold trend line above, over any one data point.
What is the median home price in National City?
The median sale price in National City is $731,000 on a trailing three month basis, using closed sales through September 2026.
How long do homes take to sell in National City?
Homes in National City are selling in a median of about 23 days.
Is National City a buyer's or a seller's market?
National City has about 4.1 months of supply, which reads as a balanced market. Under three months favors sellers, three to six is balanced, and above six favors buyers.
How much have home prices risen in National City?
The median in National City is up about 21% over the past five years, measured as the average of the last twelve monthly medians against the first twelve.
Are homes in National City selling for asking price?
Homes in National City are closing at about 102.9% of original list price.
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Inherited a home in National City? Here is what to know before you sell, from probate and trust timelines to the tax questions families ask first.
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