Home prices in 1975: US median, states and today's value
Sold in 1975, a median new house in the US went for $39,275 (Census and HUD), or about $245,895 once set in September 2026 dollars. Over that time the FHFA house price index has risen more than 11 times, and Zillow puts the typical US home at $366,157 as of September 2026.
- Median sale price for a new house, 1975
- $39,275Sources: Census and HUD.
- Dollars as of September 2026
- $245,895 (CPI-U adjusted).
Average and median house price in 1975
The median price for a new house in 1975 was $39,275, while the average reached $42,525, 8% above the median, since some expensive houses lift the average.
| Year | Median new house | Average new house | FHFA index, change on the year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | $23,475 | $26,650 | |
| 1971 | $25,225 | $28,100 | |
| 1972 | $27,525 | $30,075 | |
| 1973 | $32,600 | $35,100 | |
| 1974 | $36,050 | $38,725 | |
| 1975 | $39,275 | $42,525 | |
| 1976 | $44,225 | $48,050 | +7.2% |
| 1977 | $48,900 | $54,350 | +12.0% |
| 1978 | $55,850 | $62,700 | +13.9% |
| 1979 | $62,750 | $71,900 | +13.7% |
| 1980 | $64,750 | $76,375 | +7.9% |
HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau report new houses sold yearly (FRED MSPUS, ASPUS). The yearly average of the FHFA all-transactions index. Two measures worth a closer look: average home price in America and median home price.
Home prices in 1975 by state
California has seen the largest FHFA gain since 1975, +2134%, while West Virginia has seen the smallest, +487%.
| State | Typical value, September 2026 | FHFA change since 1975 |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $238,614 | +653% |
| Alaska | $397,932 | +625% |
| Arizona | $416,733 | +1149% |
| Arkansas | $224,158 | +653% |
| California | $761,538 | +2134% |
| Colorado | $529,013 | +1455% |
| Connecticut | $447,319 | +1080% |
| Delaware | $405,061 | +857% |
| District of Columbia | $567,271 | +2022% |
| Florida | $375,361 | +1061% |
| Georgia | $329,115 | +804% |
| Hawaii | $832,932 | +1567% |
| Idaho | $476,754 | +1130% |
| Illinois | $295,943 | +772% |
| Indiana | $257,165 | +756% |
| Iowa | $236,623 | +638% |
| Kansas | $246,055 | +671% |
| Kentucky | $230,909 | +798% |
| Louisiana | $213,867 | +609% |
| Maine | $412,002 | +1357% |
| Maryland | $424,890 | +1030% |
| Massachusetts | $655,219 | +1855% |
| Michigan | $263,760 | +841% |
| Minnesota | $348,778 | +960% |
| Mississippi | $194,531 | +490% |
| Missouri | $265,387 | +750% |
| Montana | $467,275 | +1401% |
| Nebraska | $278,299 | +761% |
| Nevada | $440,739 | +1200% |
| New Hampshire | $510,937 | +1342% |
| New Jersey | $575,123 | +1466% |
| New Mexico | $315,812 | +867% |
| New York | $524,942 | +1425% |
| North Carolina | $332,159 | +936% |
| North Dakota | $290,657 | +754% |
| Ohio | $245,982 | +703% |
| Oklahoma | $220,801 | +650% |
| Oregon | $492,753 | +1524% |
| Pennsylvania | $287,078 | +918% |
| Rhode Island | $508,507 | +1532% |
| South Carolina | $304,319 | +909% |
| South Dakota | $317,874 | +845% |
| Tennessee | $330,844 | +924% |
| Texas | $296,424 | +823% |
| Utah | $532,920 | +1406% |
| Vermont | $391,900 | +1131% |
| Virginia | $412,252 | +1050% |
| Washington | $587,533 | +2052% |
| West Virginia | $176,576 | +487% |
| Wisconsin | $337,196 | +901% |
| Wyoming | $369,044 | +934% |
FHFA change: the FHFA house price index covering all transactions, from the 1975 yearly average through Q2 2026. FHFA HPI datasets
Current value of a 1975 home
Picture a house that cost $39,275 in 1975. That figure was the median new-house price. With growth based on the FHFA index, that home would now be worth about $462,278; with consumer prices alone, it would be worth $245,895. After inflation, the median new house today costs 60% more than the one from 1975.
| A $39,275 home from 1975 | Worth now | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Grown with the US FHFA house price index | $462,278 | Q2 2026 |
| Grown with consumer prices only (CPI-U) | $245,895 | September 2026 |
Each series compared against itself, 1975 and now:
| Series | 1975 | Now | As of | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median new house sold, Census and HUD | $39,275 | $393,300 | Q3 2026 | +901% |
| Average new house sold, Census and HUD | $42,525 | $494,400 | Q3 2026 | +1063% |
| FHFA house price index (an index, not dollars) | 61.2 | 719.9 | Q2 2026 | +1077% |
| Consumer prices (CPI-U) | 53.8 | 336.9 | September 2026 | +526% |
For a specific city and purchase price, use the home appreciation calculator.
1975 seen in context
The steel line marks the median for new houses, the grey line shows the average, and the dashed line marks 1975.
Before this year: home prices in 1970. After this year: home prices in 1977. View home prices for every year together on one page. The housing market crash history covers every fall since 1975. See city-by-city current values for a home purchased in 1975 in the home appreciation calculator.