Home prices in 1982: US median, states and today's value
Census and HUD put the median price of a new US house at $69,225 in 1982. In September 2026 dollars, that was about $241,706. Since then the FHFA house price index has multiplied about 6.6 times, and the typical US home is worth $366,157 in September 2026 (Zillow).
- New-house median sale price, 1982
- $69,225Census and HUD
- Expressed in September 2026 dollars
- $241,706. CPI-U adjustment.
House prices in 1982: median and average
The median price for a new house in 1982 was $69,225, compared with an average of $83,850. The average was 21% higher because a few costly houses raise it. The FHFA index was nearly flat during 1982, with a yearly change of +1.0%.
| Year | Median new house | Average new house | FHFA index, change on the year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 1986 | $92,025 | $112,075 | +6.8% |
| 1987 | $104,700 | $127,575 | +6.5% |
Yearly new house sales data come from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD (FRED MSPUS, ASPUS). Yearly average of the FHFA all-transactions index Look closer at both figures: median home price beside average home price in America.
Home prices in 1982 by state
The FHFA index has climbed most in District of Columbia since 1982, at +1046%, and least in Oklahoma, at +233%. The FHFA index declined in 18 states during 1982, with the largest drop in West Virginia at −17.8%.
| State | Typical value, September 2026 | FHFA change in 1982 | FHFA change since 1982 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $238,614 | +1.4% | +402% |
| Alaska | $397,932 | +22.6% | +265% |
| Arizona | $416,733 | −5.0% | +594% |
| Arkansas | $224,158 | +0.1% | +352% |
| California | $761,538 | −5.5% | +803% |
| Colorado | $529,013 | +11.3% | +597% |
| Connecticut | $447,319 | +1.9% | +558% |
| Delaware | $405,061 | +2.3% | +598% |
| District of Columbia | $567,271 | −8.5% | +1046% |
| Florida | $375,361 | +2.1% | +644% |
| Georgia | $329,115 | +5.0% | +476% |
| Hawaii | $832,932 | +19.9% | +879% |
| Idaho | $476,754 | −0.7% | +690% |
| Illinois | $295,943 | −8.9% | +497% |
| Indiana | $257,165 | −2.4% | +428% |
| Iowa | $236,623 | −0.9% | +396% |
| Kansas | $246,055 | +1.4% | +366% |
| Kentucky | $230,909 | +1.0% | +459% |
| Louisiana | $213,867 | +3.5% | +235% |
| Maine | $412,002 | −5.2% | +865% |
| Maryland | $424,890 | −3.8% | +570% |
| Massachusetts | $655,219 | +5.9% | +958% |
| Michigan | $263,760 | −7.7% | +506% |
| Minnesota | $348,778 | −6.2% | +537% |
| Mississippi | $194,531 | +3.7% | +306% |
| Missouri | $265,387 | −0.1% | +455% |
| Montana | $467,275 | +7.7% | +700% |
| Nebraska | $278,299 | +6.5% | +411% |
| Nevada | $440,739 | +5.9% | +434% |
| New Hampshire | $510,937 | +5.2% | +769% |
| New Jersey | $575,123 | +2.3% | +795% |
| New Mexico | $315,812 | +7.1% | +371% |
| New York | $524,942 | +10.4% | +856% |
| North Carolina | $332,159 | +3.1% | +549% |
| North Dakota | $290,657 | −17.0% | +502% |
| Ohio | $245,982 | −5.6% | +440% |
| Oklahoma | $220,801 | +10.4% | +233% |
| Oregon | $492,753 | +1.4% | +784% |
| Pennsylvania | $287,078 | +1.5% | +599% |
| Rhode Island | $508,507 | +2.8% | +921% |
| South Carolina | $304,319 | +3.3% | +509% |
| South Dakota | $317,874 | +5.3% | +539% |
| Tennessee | $330,844 | +1.2% | +585% |
| Texas | $296,424 | +8.6% | +343% |
| Utah | $532,920 | +1.5% | +684% |
| Vermont | $391,900 | +17.6% | +675% |
| Virginia | $412,252 | −0.9% | +638% |
| Washington | $587,533 | −8.5% | +996% |
| West Virginia | $176,576 | −17.8% | +332% |
| Wisconsin | $337,196 | −5.0% | +581% |
| Wyoming | $369,044 | +2.3% | +374% |
FHFA change: the all-transactions house price index compares the 1982 yearly average with Q2 2026. See the FHFA HPI datasets.
Today's value of a 1982 home
Consider a home priced at $69,225 in 1982, matching the median price for a new house back then. With growth based on the FHFA index, that home would now be worth about $460,181. With consumer prices alone, it would be worth $241,706. With inflation accounted for, today's median price for a new house is 63% above its 1982 level.
| A $69,225 home from 1982 | Worth now | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Growth based on the US FHFA house price index | $460,181 | Q2 2026 |
| Grown with consumer prices only (CPI-U) | $241,706 | September 2026 |
Every series measured against itself, 1982 and now
| Series | 1982 | Now | As of | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median new house sold, Census and HUD | $69,225 | $393,300 | Q3 2026 | +468% |
| Average new house sold, Census and HUD | $83,850 | $494,400 | Q3 2026 | +490% |
| FHFA house price index (an index, not dollars) | 108.3 | 719.9 | Q2 2026 | +565% |
| Consumer prices (CPI-U) | 96.5 | 336.9 | September 2026 | +249% |
For any city and purchase price, use the home appreciation calculator.
Context for 1982
The steel line shows the median new house, the grey line shows the average, and the dashed line identifies 1982.
Before this year: home prices in 1981. After this year: home prices in 1984. Find every year together on one page: home prices by year. Review each fall since 1975: housing market crash history. For each city, use the home appreciation calculator to see what a home purchased in 1982 is worth today.