Sherbrooke or Magog: where to buy in the Eastern Townships in 2026?

Comparison · Sherbrooke vs Magog · 2026

The university city or the lake, 23 days or 63: here is how to decide between Sherbrooke and Magog by budget, lifestyle and profile.

Sherbrooke and Magog are thirty kilometres apart on Highway 10, in the same QPAREB region, and $125,000 separate them: a $460,000 median house in the city of Sherbrooke in the second quarter of 2026 (+7 % year over year, +76 % in five years) in 23 days, against $585,000 in Magog (+1 %, +75 %) in 63 days, the region's longest delay. Sherbrooke is the city: the University, the CHUS, the CEGEP, Bishop's, downtown, the plexes and the family neighbourhoods of Rock Forest and Fleurimont, with a seller's market in every range. Magog is the resort: Lake Memphremagog, Mont-Orford, the waterfront homes and the chalets, with a seller's market under $700,000 and a buyer's market above $840,000 (12.9 months of inventory). The choice is made on lifestyle and budget: the city and the speed in Sherbrooke, the water and the negotiation in Magog.

The price: Sherbrooke or Magog?

Magog is $125,000 more expensive in median ($585,000 vs $460,000), because its waterfront homes, luxury chalets and large properties in Austin and the township pull the median up; in town, an everyday Magog house costs the price of Rock Forest. Sherbrooke runs from $430,000 in Fleurimont to $491,000 in Les Nations, and $690,500 in the outskirts (Ascot Corner, Stoke, the lakes). In five years, both rose 75 to 76 %, one of Quebec's strongest rises, carried by Montreal buyers working remotely. The condo has a median only in Sherbrooke ($314,000, 38 days).

Days on market and choice

Sherbrooke sells in 23 days with 285 houses active and a seller's market in every range (5.9 months of inventory above $680,000); Magog sells in 63 days with 132 houses active, seller's under $700,000 and buyer's above $840,000 (12.9 months). For a buyer, Sherbrooke calls for a pre-approval and an offer the first weekend; Magog leaves time to compare, and a waterfront home listed at 2022's price negotiates. For a seller, it is the reverse: Sherbrooke is the multiple-offer market, Magog the market of the fair price on few comparables.

City of Sherbrooke: months of inventory by price range

Magog, Orford, Austin: months of inventory by price range

The living environment

Sherbrooke has the Université de Sherbrooke and Bishop's, the CHUS, the CEGEP, downtown and rue Wellington, Lac des Nations, Mont-Bellevue, Jacques-Cartier park, the shops of Rock Forest and Fleurimont, Highway 10 to Montreal in 150 kilometres, and a bilingual city life in Lennoxville. Magog has Lake Memphremagog and its beach, Merry Point, Mont-Orford national park (skiing, golf, trails), downtown and rue Principale, the wine route next door, and a population of retirees, vacationers and remote workers. Sherbrooke is lived by car with the STS; Magog by car.

The verdict by profile

• Work at the University, the CHUS, the CEGEP: Sherbrooke.
• Remote work and the lake, $700,000 budget and up: Magog, where the high end negotiates in 2026.
• First home under $450,000: Fleurimont or Rock Forest in Sherbrooke; in Magog, the 1970s to 2000s neighbourhoods away from the water.
• Plex or condo: Sherbrooke (Les Nations, near the University).
• Skiing and golf on weekends: Magog (Orford); Sherbrooke is thirty minutes away.
• Fast resale: Sherbrooke (23 days); in Magog, count two months and more.

The full portraits: real estate broker in Sherbrooke and real estate broker in Magog; the reports on the Sherbrooke market and the Magog market; to sell, selling a house in Sherbrooke and selling a house in Magog.

Frequently asked questions

Sherbrooke or Magog: which is cheaper?

Sherbrooke, by $125,000 on the median house ($460,000 vs $585,000 in the second quarter of 2026); in Magog, the median is pulled up by waterfront homes and luxury chalets.

Which sells faster?

Sherbrooke, 23 days vs 63; in Magog, above $840,000, the buyer leads with 12.9 months of inventory.

Which rose the most?

They are even: +76 % in Sherbrooke and +75 % in Magog in five years; year over year, Sherbrooke is still rising (+7 %) and Magog has stalled (+1 %).

Also available in French: version française de ce guide.

Published September 7, 2026 by the Loaa & Manseur team, the number 1 team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the global top 50 according to the official RE/MAX ranking. Tell us about your project.