Home prices in 1980: US median, states and today's value
The median sale price for a new house in the US was $64,750 in 1980, based on Census and HUD figures. In September 2026 dollars, that equals about $264,742. Since then the FHFA house price index has multiplied about 7.0 times, and the typical US home is worth $366,157 in September 2026 (Zillow).
- Median sale price for a new house, 1980
- $64,750Data from Census and HUD.
- September 2026 dollar value
- $264,742. Adjusted using CPI-U.
House prices in 1980: median and average
New houses sold in 1980 had a median price of $64,750 and an average price of $76,375. A few costly houses raise the average, which was 18% above the median. According to the 1980 census, an owner-occupied single-family home had a median value of $47,200. The FHFA index showed strong growth in 1980, rising +7.9% on the year.
| Year | Median new house | Average new house | FHFA index, change on the year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 1981 | $68,950 | $83,175 | +4.4% |
| 1982 | $69,225 | $83,850 | +1.0% |
| 1983 | $75,375 | $89,775 | +7.2% |
| 1984 | $79,950 | $97,550 | +4.5% |
| 1985 | $84,275 | $100,825 | +5.1% |
Yearly new house sales data come from U.S. Census Bureau and HUD (FRED MSPUS, ASPUS). Yearly average of the FHFA all-transactions index. Read more about the measures: median price of homes and average price of homes in America.
Home prices in 1980 by state
Hawaii had the highest median value in the 1980 census, at $118,100. Arkansas had the lowest, at $31,100. The FHFA index has recorded its largest increase since 1980 in Massachusetts, at +1161%, and its smallest in West Virginia, at +249%. During 1980, the FHFA index declined in two states: Illinois by 0.6% and Iowa by 0.2%.
| State | Median value, 1980 | Typical value, September 2026 | FHFA change in 1980 | FHFA change since 1980 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $33,900 | $238,614 | +3.0% | +422% |
| Alaska | $76,300 | $397,932 | +0.7% | +421% |
| Arizona | $54,800 | $416,733 | +10.5% | +610% |
| Arkansas | $31,100 | $224,158 | +7.8% | +363% |
| California | $84,500 | $761,538 | +15.0% | +834% |
| Colorado | $64,100 | $529,013 | +8.8% | +719% |
| Connecticut | $65,600 | $447,319 | +3.8% | +617% |
| Delaware | $44,400 | $405,061 | +16.6% | +635% |
| District of Columbia | $567,271 | +7.6% | +948% | |
| Florida | $45,100 | $375,361 | +10.8% | +698% |
| Georgia | $36,900 | $329,115 | +10.5% | +553% |
| Hawaii | $118,100 | $832,932 | +21.3% | +858% |
| Idaho | $45,600 | $476,754 | +1.6% | +718% |
| Illinois | $52,800 | $295,943 | −0.6% | +467% |
| Indiana | $37,200 | $257,165 | +4.5% | +434% |
| Iowa | $40,600 | $236,623 | −0.2% | +366% |
| Kansas | $37,800 | $246,055 | +6.7% | +377% |
| Kentucky | $34,200 | $230,909 | +4.7% | +481% |
| Louisiana | $43,000 | $213,867 | +7.8% | +278% |
| Maine | $37,900 | $412,002 | +2.0% | +912% |
| Maryland | $58,300 | $424,890 | +9.1% | +596% |
| Massachusetts | $48,400 | $655,219 | +10.9% | +1161% |
| Michigan | $39,000 | $263,760 | +5.3% | +476% |
| Minnesota | $53,100 | $348,778 | +8.1% | +493% |
| Mississippi | $31,400 | $194,531 | +1.9% | +323% |
| Missouri | $36,700 | $265,387 | +5.9% | +445% |
| Montana | $46,500 | $467,275 | +3.6% | +740% |
| Nebraska | $38,000 | $278,299 | +7.6% | +437% |
| Nevada | $68,700 | $440,739 | +5.4% | +530% |
| New Hampshire | $48,000 | $510,937 | +5.5% | +827% |
| New Jersey | $60,200 | $575,123 | +13.6% | +853% |
| New Mexico | $45,300 | $315,812 | +8.4% | +458% |
| New York | $45,600 | $524,942 | +12.3% | +995% |
| North Carolina | $36,000 | $332,159 | +7.5% | +603% |
| North Dakota | $43,900 | $290,657 | +1.7% | +436% |
| Ohio | $44,900 | $245,982 | +2.9% | +415% |
| Oklahoma | $35,600 | $220,801 | +9.5% | +295% |
| Oregon | $56,900 | $492,753 | +4.1% | +742% |
| Pennsylvania | $39,100 | $287,078 | +3.6% | +632% |
| Rhode Island | $46,800 | $508,507 | +6.7% | +960% |
| South Carolina | $35,100 | $304,319 | +8.0% | +592% |
| South Dakota | $36,600 | $317,874 | +8.2% | +545% |
| Tennessee | $35,600 | $330,844 | +6.6% | +608% |
| Texas | $39,100 | $296,424 | +10.6% | +413% |
| Utah | $57,300 | $532,920 | +4.7% | +749% |
| Vermont | $42,200 | $391,900 | +6.0% | +768% |
| Virginia | $48,000 | $412,252 | +10.6% | +662% |
| Washington | $59,900 | $587,533 | +7.6% | +920% |
| West Virginia | $38,500 | $176,576 | +20.9% | +249% |
| Wisconsin | $48,600 | $337,196 | +2.9% | +535% |
| Wyoming | $59,800 | $369,044 | +5.3% | +432% |
Median value comes from owner reports in the U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Housing. FHFA change: FHFA house price index covering all transactions, comparing the yearly average in 1980 with Q2 2026. FHFA HPI data
Today's value of a 1980 home
The median new-house price in 1980 was $64,750. Consider a home bought at that amount. Using the FHFA index, that home would now be worth about $454,083. Using only consumer prices, it would be worth $264,742. Once inflation is factored in, today's median new-house price is 49% higher than it was in 1980.
| A $64,750 home from 1980 | Worth now | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Growth based on the US FHFA house price index | $454,083 | Q2 2026 |
| Grown with consumer prices only (CPI-U) | $264,742 | September 2026 |
Compare each series with itself in 1980 and now:
| Series | 1980 | Now | As of | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value, Census of Housing | $47,200 | $119,600 | 2000, last census | +153% |
| Median new house sold, Census and HUD | $64,750 | $393,300 | Q3 2026 | +507% |
| Average new house sold, Census and HUD | $76,375 | $494,400 | Q3 2026 | +547% |
| FHFA house price index (an index, not dollars) | 102.7 | 719.9 | Q2 2026 | +601% |
| Consumer prices (CPI-U) | 82.4 | 336.9 | September 2026 | +309% |
Use the home appreciation calculator for a specific city and price paid.
The year 1980 in context
A steel line shows the median new house, and a grey line shows the average. A dashed line marks 1980.
Previous: home prices in 1977. Next: home prices in 1981. All years on one page: yearly home prices. Since 1975, every fall: housing market crash history. Find the current city-by-city value of a home purchased in 1980 through the home appreciation calculator.