More than $987.7 million was spent on real estate in Hampden County from July 2012 until the end of last month, a 2.1 percent increase from the prior year and another sign of a improving real estate market, according to Donald E. Ashe, Hampden County register of deeds.

The total amount spent on real estate in Hampden County in the previous fiscal year July 2011 to June 2012 was $967.2 million, according to data released Wednesday by Ashe.

“The real estate market is getting better,” Ashe said. “But it is slow, hampered by persistent unemployment.”

In neighboring Hampshire County, the total spend on real estate was $498 million, according to the registry office there. That’s up 2 percent from $488.3 million in the previous fiscal year.

In Franklin County, the total was $160.9 million, that’s down 1.7 percent from $163.7 million last year but up from $150.4 million in the 2010-11 fiscal year.

Ashe said the figures are based on the total consideration paid for all real estate, including homes, commercial properties and vacant land.

Hampden County is still a long way from the go-go days of the real estate boom. Before 2011, the amount spent on real estate hadn’t been less than $1 billion for a fiscal year since 2005. It was $1.128 billion in fiscal 2010, and $1.085 billion in fiscal 2009.

Real estate market in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties continues growth | masslive.com.