Waterfront · Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean · Centris 2018-2026
The median sale price of a house bordered by a body of water in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, year by year since 2018, against all houses: what the waterfront costs, whether the premium grows or melts, and the share of waterfront sales. Centris figures, not estimates.
A waterfront house in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean sells for $413,750 at the median in 2026 (January to September), versus $337,000 for all single-family homes: $76,750 (+23%) for the water, in line with the 34 regions and cities tracked (median premium 20%). 156 houses bordered by a body of water sold in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean from January to September 2026, 10.1% of single-family sales. Since 2018: waterfront +148%, all houses +111%. Source: Centris (Matrix), compiled on October 17, 2026.
The short answer
A waterfront house in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean sells for $413,750 at the median in 2026 (January to September), versus $337,000 for all single-family homes: $76,750 (+23%) for the water, in line with the 34 regions and cities tracked (median premium 20%). 156 houses bordered by a body of water sold in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean from January to September 2026, 10.1% of single-family sales. Since 2018: waterfront +148%, all houses +111%.
Median price, waterfront versus all houses, year by year
| Year | Waterfront, median price | Sales | All houses, median price | Sales | Waterfront premium | Share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $166,500 | 102 | $160,000 | 1,545 | +4% | 6.6% |
| 2019 | $161,000 | 154 | $160,000 | 1,766 | +1% | 8.7% |
| 2020 | $205,000 | 245 | $171,000 | 1,969 | +20% | 12.4% |
| 2021 | $230,500 | 186 | $189,000 | 1,978 | +22% | 9.4% |
| 2022 | $261,000 | 152 | $220,500 | 1,577 | +18% | 9.6% |
| 2023 | $293,500 | 120 | $243,000 | 1,488 | +21% | 8.1% |
| 2024 | $307,500 | 186 | $270,000 | 1,746 | +14% | 10.7% |
| 2025 | $372,500 | 200 | $316,000 | 1,949 | +18% | 10.3% |
| 2026 (Jan. to Sept.) | $413,750 | 156 | $337,000 | 1,541 | +23% | 10.1% |
Closed sales on Centris from 2018 to September 2026: 1,501 houses bordered by a body of water and 15,559 single-family homes in all. A year with fewer than 10 waterfront sales is left blank (n/a). When a year has few sales, its median can move by tens of thousands of dollars without the market having changed.
What nine years of sales say in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean
- The waterfront rose faster than the rest in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean: +148% since 2018, versus +111% for all houses. That is the case in 14 of the 34 regions and cities tracked: after 2020, remote-work and vacation demand went to riverside and lakeside properties first.
- The waterfront premium grew: +4% in 2018, +23% in 2026 ($76,750 at the median). 14 of the 34 regions and cities tracked saw their premium grow over the period.
- The waterfront house sold for more than the median house every publishable year in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean: the strongest premium in 2026 (+23%), the weakest in 2019 (+1%).
- The waterfront weighs heavily in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean: 9.6% of single-family homes sold since 2018 were bordered by a body of water (1,501 of 15,559), versus 5% at the median of the regions and cities tracked. It is a market of its own, with its buyers and its seasons.
- 2026 (January to September) versus 2025: waterfront +11.1% ($372,500 to $413,750), all houses +6.6% ($316,000 to $337,000).
- Peaks: waterfront $413,750 in 2026, all houses $337,000 in 2026. The waterfront fell in 2019.
- Quebec benchmark: across the province, the house bordered by a body of water sells for $510,000 at the median in 2026 (January to September), versus $510,000 for all single-family homes (0%); in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, the premium is higher.
Is the waterfront worth paying for in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean?
In the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, the waterfront costs $76,750 (+23%), in line with the regions and cities tracked. The gap measures the house that comes with the water as much as the water itself: lot, outbuildings, year built. Before paying the premium, check the shoreline buffer, flood levels, year-round access and the condition of the well and septic system: that is where two waterfront houses at the same price part ways.
How to read these figures
Two series drawn from the same Centris database with the same settings for all of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean: single-family category, closed sales, median sale price per year, with and without the criterion bordered by a body of water (lake, river, the St. Lawrence, pond, canal, sea, reservoir or stream). The second series includes the first: the premium compares waterfront to all houses, not to non-waterfront. The field is declared by the listing broker on each listing and has been filled in only since 2018. 2026 = January to September.
Our other data series in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, from the same Centris listings:
Each series is recalculated from actual sales, aggregates only.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a waterfront house cost in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean in 2026?
$413,750 at the median for a house bordered by a body of water sold in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean from January to September 2026 (156 sales), versus $337,000 for all single-family homes (1,541 sales).
What is the waterfront worth in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean?
$76,750 (+23%) at the 2026 median. In 2018, the premium was +4%. Across the 34 regions and cities tracked, the median premium is 20%, and it is negative in 5 of them.
Did the waterfront gain more value than the rest in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean?
The waterfront: +148% between 2018 and 2026, versus +111% for all houses in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean.
What share of sales is waterfront in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean?
9.6% of single-family homes sold in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean since 2018 were bordered by a body of water (1,501 houses of 15,559); 10.1% from January to September 2026.
Source: Centris (Matrix), Statistics module, queries run on October 17, 2026 for all of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean: single-family category, criterion "Type plan d'eau - bordé" (all types), then no criterion, median sale price and number of sales per year over ten years; the field has been filled in only since 2018; compiled by the Loaa & Manseur team, aggregates only, 2026 = January to September. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
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.