Wells, NY housing market
No new homes were permitted in 2025.
Home values, sales, trends and how Wells compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
No new homes permitted in 2025
No permits for new homes were issued in Wells in 2025. The last year with any was 2019 (1 new home).
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Wells gained 9 residents while 44 new homes were permitted: about 0.2 new residents per new home. Building outpaced population growth, which usually means smaller households or homes used part of the year. 57% of Wells's homes are seasonal or vacation homes, which adds housing without adding residents. Across New York: 2.2 new residents per new home.
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2019 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $237,000 |
| 2018 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $766,000 |
| 2017 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $504,000 |
| 2016 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $655,000 |
| 2015 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $907,000 |
| 2014 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $1.3 million |
| 2013 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $1.1 million |
| 2012 | 7 | 7 | 0 | $841,000 |
| 2011 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $670,000 |
| 2010 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $110,000 |
| 2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $510,000 |
| 2008 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $394,000 |
| 2007 | 12 | 12 | 0 | $1.7 million |
| 2006 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $210,000 |
| 2005 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $337,000 |
| 2004 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $430,000 |
| 2003 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $215,000 |
| 2002 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $240,000 |
| 2001 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $285,000 |
| 2000 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $92,000 |
Wells's permit office didn't report to the Census in 2025, so the 2025 figures are Census estimates.
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
Wells and its neighbors
| Town | Typical value | 1-yr change | 2-bed rent | New homes 2025 | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wells | — | — | $1,200 | 0 | $74,286 |
| Lake Pleasant | — | — | $1,570 | 7 | $64,091 |
| Speculator | $301K | +2.9% | $1,640 | 6 | $63,864 |
| Hope | — | +13%† | $1,340 | 7 | $72,188 |
| Indian Lake | — | — | $1,200 | 11 | $62,824 |
| Benson | — | +13%† | $1,340 | 0 | $69,375 |
| Arietta | — | — | $1,360 | 1 | $60,000 |
† FHFA price index change, where Zillow has no home value for the town.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 · figures for a place this size carry wide margins of error.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,200
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Wells is $1,200 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs.
Studio $910 · 4 bedrooms $1,590
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (12190; Hamilton County, NY), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Recent listings in Wells
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.