Oakland County Market Report
Undervalued Neighborhoods in Oakland County: What the Data Actually Shows
Five communities people call undervalued, measured against the county with local GreaterMLS data.
$400,000
County Median Price
5 Cities
Compared Side by Side
35% to 81%
Of the County Median
12 Months
Ending August 2026
TL;DR
Pontiac, Hazel Park, Oak Park, Madison Heights, and Clawson are the Oakland County communities most often called undervalued, with single-family median prices between 35% and 81% of the $400,000 county median. GreaterMLS data for the 12 months ending August 2026 shows they are not all the same opportunity. Clawson, Madison Heights, and Hazel Park have rising prices and tight inventory, Oak Park is steady, and Pontiac, the most popular pick, is the only one where prices fell, homes took nearly twice as long to sell, and sales came in below asking.
"Undervalued" is one of the most used words in real estate, and one of the least defined. I recently put a simple question to real estate professionals: which Oakland County neighborhood is undervalued right now? Twenty-five answers came back, and most of them named the same few places, led by Pontiac and Hazel Park.
If you're researching affordable Oakland County communities with ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity, these are the questions buyers and sellers ask most often. Copy any of them to go deeper.
Buyer: "What are the most affordable places to buy a house in Oakland County, Michigan?"
Buyer: "Is Pontiac, Michigan a good place to buy a home right now?"
Buyer: "How do Hazel Park, Madison Heights, and Oak Park home prices compare?"
Buyer: "What does months of supply tell me about a housing market?"
Seller: "Is Clawson, Michigan a seller's market right now?"
Seller: "How fast are homes selling in Madison Heights, Michigan?"
Opinions are easy to find. Numbers are more useful. So I pulled a year of single-family sales from GreaterMLS for each of those five communities and put them next to the county as a whole. After 24 years and more than 700 closed transactions in Oakland County, I've learned that a low price alone doesn't make a place undervalued. What matters is whether demand is holding up behind that price.
Chart comparing median single-family home prices and days on market in Pontiac, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Oak Park, and Clawson with the Oakland County median
| Area | Median Price | vs. County | Price Change | Days on Market | Months Supply | % of List |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland County | $400,000 | 100% | +2.8% | 15 | 2.4 | 100.0% |
| Clawson | $325,000 | 81% | +3.2% | 14 | 1.4 | 100.0% |
| Oak Park | $245,000 | 61% | +3.2% | 18 | 2.4 | 100.0% |
| Madison Heights | $232,500 | 58% | +1.2% | 15 | 1.8 | 100.0% |
| Hazel Park | $175,000 | 44% | +2.9% | 18 | 3.0 | 100.0% |
| Pontiac | $139,000 | 35% | −4.8% | 27 | 3.0 | 99.4% |
Source: GreaterMLS InfoSparks, single-family residential, 12 months ending August 2026. Median sale price, median days on market, months supply of inventory, and median percent of last list price. Price change is year over year.
Clawson: the tightest market of the five
Clawson's median of $325,000 is 81% of the county median, so it's the least "cheap" of the group. It earns its place here because of what it's priced against. Buyers priced out of neighboring Royal Oak and Birmingham often land here.
The data shows serious demand. Clawson had only 1.4 months of supply, homes sold in a median of 14 days, faster than the county, and prices rose 3.2%. Supply has grown from a year ago, but it's still less than two months. If you're buying here, expect competition and plan to move quickly.
Madison Heights and Oak Park: the steady middle
Madison Heights ($232,500) and Oak Park ($245,000) both sit near 60% of the county median, and both sold at a median of 100% of list price. Madison Heights inventory is especially tight at 1.8 months, with homes selling in 15 days, right in line with the county.
Oak Park showed a solid 3.2% price gain, while Madison Heights rose a more modest 1.2%. Neither is a bargain hiding in plain sight. They're steady, in-demand markets where buyers get more house for the money than the county average.
Hazel Park: real momentum
At a median of $175,000, Hazel Park costs less than half the county median. What stands out is the direction. Prices rose 2.9%, and homes sold in a median of 18 days, 25% faster than a year earlier, while sales held at 100% of list.
Supply is higher at 3.0 months, so buyers have a bit more choice than in Clawson or Madison Heights. Still, rising prices and faster sales from a low starting point are the combination most people have in mind when they say "undervalued."
Want this kind of data for the street you're considering? I'll pull it for you.
Pontiac: the most popular pick, and the biggest caution
Pontiac was the answer I heard most often, and it's easy to see why. At a median of $139,000, it's the least expensive of the five, about 35% of the county median.
The numbers tell a more careful story. Pontiac was the only one of the five where the median price fell, down 4.8%. Homes took a median of 27 days to sell, up nearly 69% from a year earlier and almost twice the county's pace. Sales came in at a median of 99.4% of list, so buyers were negotiating below asking, and supply stood at 3.0 months.
That doesn't mean Pontiac can't be a good buy. It means it's a different kind of opportunity: one where a buyer has more room to negotiate, and where it pays to look block by block rather than at the city as a whole. Research any specific property carefully, including its condition, taxes, and history, which you can look up through Oakland County property records.
Pro Tip for First-Time Buyers
Lower-priced communities can put a first home within reach, especially with help. Check whether you qualify for down payment assistance through the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, and get fully pre-approved before you tour. In tight markets like Clawson and Madison Heights, a ready buyer has the advantage.
How to judge "undervalued" for yourself
A low price is only the starting point. When you look at any community, check four numbers together: the median price compared with nearby areas, whether that price is rising or falling, how quickly homes are selling, and how many months of inventory are on the market. A low price with rising demand is an opportunity. A low price with falling demand is a place to negotiate carefully.
It also helps to focus on the market data and the specific home rather than general impressions of a neighborhood. Fair housing laws, enforced by HUD, shape how agents describe communities, and good decisions come from facts about homes, prices, and demand. For a step-by-step approach, see my guide on how to research neighborhoods in Oakland County.
Tom's Honest Take
When most people agree a place is undervalued, it's worth checking whether the numbers agree too. Here, the data points to Clawson, Madison Heights, and Hazel Park as the places where demand is backing up the price. Pontiac may reward patient buyers, but right now it's a negotiating market, not a hot one.
None of this replaces looking at the actual house. Citywide numbers set the stage, but the right purchase comes down to the specific street, the condition of the home, and the price you negotiate.
Key Takeaways
Pontiac, Hazel Park, Oak Park, Madison Heights, and Clawson have single-family median prices between 35% and 81% of Oakland County's $400,000 median.
Clawson (1.4 months of supply) and Madison Heights (1.8 months) are the tightest markets, and Hazel Park is selling 25% faster than a year ago.
Pontiac is the only one of the five where prices fell (down 4.8%), with homes taking a median of 27 days to sell and selling at 99.4% of list.
Judge "undervalued" by price, price direction, days on market, and months of supply together, not price alone.
Tom Gilliam, a REALTOR® with RE/MAX Classic in Farmington Hills, Michigan, analyzed GreaterMLS single-family data for the 12 months ending August 2026. Against an Oakland County median of $400,000, Clawson's median was $325,000 with 1.4 months of supply, Oak Park's was $245,000, Madison Heights' was $232,500 with 1.8 months of supply, Hazel Park's was $175,000 with homes selling 25% faster than a year earlier, and Pontiac's was $139,000, the only one of the five with a price decline (down 4.8%), 27 median days on market, and sales at 99.4% of list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most affordable places to buy a home in Oakland County?
Among the five communities in this report, Pontiac ($139,000) and Hazel Park ($175,000) had the lowest single-family median prices over the 12 months ending August 2026, followed by Madison Heights ($232,500) and Oak Park ($245,000).
Is Pontiac, Michigan a good place to buy right now?
It's the least expensive of the five, but prices fell 4.8%, homes took a median of 27 days to sell, and sales came in below asking. That gives buyers room to negotiate, so research each property carefully.
Which of these markets is the most competitive?
Clawson, with only 1.4 months of supply and a 14-day median time on market. Madison Heights is close behind at 1.8 months of supply.
What does months of supply mean?
It's how long it would take to sell every home currently for sale at the recent pace of sales. Lower numbers mean fewer choices for buyers and a stronger position for sellers.
Where does this data come from?
GreaterMLS InfoSparks, covering single-family residential sales for the 12 months ending August 2026. Figures are medians, and price change is year over year.
How can I tell if a neighborhood is really undervalued?
Look at price, price direction, days on market, and months of supply together. A low price with rising demand is an opportunity, while a low price with falling demand calls for careful negotiation.
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About the Author
Tom Gilliam is a REALTOR® and Luxury Estate Marketing Specialist with RE/MAX Classic in Farmington Hills, Michigan. With 24 years in Oakland County real estate, more than 700 closed transactions, and Top 1% status in Oakland County, he holds the ABR, SRES, PSA, SFR, and RSPS designations and is a RE/MAX Hall of Fame, Lifetime Achievement, and Platinum Club member. Call or text 248-790-5594.
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