Home prices in 2002: US median, top cities and today's value
In 2002, the Zillow Home Value Index valued the typical US home at $144,276. This figure averages all twelve months that year. The same index reached $366,157 in September 2026. Since 2002, the typical home has risen to about two and a half times its earlier value.
- Typical value for a home, 2002
- $144,276Yearly average from Zillow ZHVI.
- New house sale median in 2002
- $186,025Data from Census and HUD.
- Change from 2002
- +153.8%to September 2026, Zillow ZHVI
- Value in 2002 at September 2026 prices
- $270,256. CPI-U adjustment.
Median and average house price in 2002
Homes of every age are included in Zillow's typical value, while the Census and HUD figures cover new houses only. During 2002, new houses had a median sale price of $186,025 and an average of $226,700. The average was 22% higher because a few expensive houses raised it. The FHFA index recorded a strong year in 2002, rising +6.3% over the year.
| Year | Typical home (Zillow) | Median new house | Average new house | FHFA index, change on the year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | $145,000 | $174,875 | +3.3% | |
| 1998 | $151,925 | $181,150 | +5.1% | |
| 1999 | $160,125 | $194,675 | +4.9% | |
| 2000 | $125,745 | $167,550 | $205,375 | +6.4% |
| 2001 | $134,899 | $173,100 | $211,050 | +7.5% |
| 2002 | $144,276 | $186,025 | $226,700 | +6.3% |
| 2003 | $155,308 | $192,125 | $244,550 | +6.2% |
| 2004 | $169,891 | $218,150 | $272,125 | +9.4% |
| 2005 | $189,732 | $236,550 | $291,275 | +11.4% |
| 2006 | $206,531 | $243,750 | $303,900 | +7.2% |
| 2007 | $208,448 | $244,950 | $309,800 | +1.1% |
Yearly average based on monthly Zillow Home Value Index figures. Yearly new houses sold: U.S. Census Bureau and HUD (FRED MSPUS, ASPUS). Yearly average of the FHFA all-transactions index. Learn more about both numbers: average home price in America and median home price.
Monthly figures for 2002
From January 2002 through December 2002, the typical US home gained 6.7%. Its lowest value was $139,952 in January 2002, while its highest was $149,285 in December 2002.
| Month | Typical US home value | Change on the month |
|---|---|---|
| January 2002 | $139,952 | +0.47% |
| February 2002 | $140,583 | +0.45% |
| March 2002 | $141,227 | +0.46% |
| April 2002 | $141,927 | +0.50% |
| May 2002 | $142,700 | +0.54% |
| June 2002 | $143,537 | +0.59% |
| July 2002 | $144,455 | +0.64% |
| August 2002 | $145,436 | +0.68% |
| September 2002 | $146,429 | +0.68% |
| October 2002 | $147,421 | +0.68% |
| November 2002 | $148,365 | +0.64% |
| December 2002 | $149,285 | +0.62% |
The figures are smoothed and seasonally adjusted. Source: Zillow Home Value Index for the United States. Zillow Research data
Home prices in 2002 by city
All 229 cities that have a page here and a 2002 value are worth more today. Since 2002, San Bernardino has recorded the largest increase at +314%, while Detroit has the smallest at +8%. The forty cities people searched for most:
| City | Typical value, 2002 | Typical value, September 2026 | Change from 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | $205,197 | $491,960 | +140% |
| Seattle | $302,309 | $822,572 | +172% |
| San Francisco | $534,269 | $1,441,021 | +170% |
| Denver | $228,624 | $520,947 | +128% |
| Los Angeles | $286,832 | $927,891 | +223% |
| Dallas | $104,403 | $303,442 | +191% |
| Houston | $109,366 | $259,465 | +137% |
| San Diego | $314,785 | $980,490 | +211% |
| Phoenix | $136,871 | $404,067 | +195% |
| Chicago | $190,610 | $334,108 | +75% |
| Las Vegas | $175,978 | $417,475 | +137% |
| Portland, Oregon | $186,494 | $524,318 | +181% |
| Nashville | $147,205 | $425,889 | +189% |
| Atlanta | $194,931 | $380,331 | +95% |
| Boise | $136,788 | $500,215 | +266% |
| San Jose | $418,344 | $1,353,869 | +224% |
| Miami | $169,708 | $583,705 | +244% |
| San Antonio | $98,193 | $244,623 | +149% |
| Sacramento | $178,801 | $470,552 | +163% |
| Washington, DC | $208,359 | $566,961 | +172% |
| Boston | $301,809 | $761,236 | +152% |
| Tucson | $128,327 | $318,760 | +148% |
| Orlando | $133,312 | $372,775 | +180% |
| Colorado Springs | $188,346 | $439,542 | +133% |
| Charlotte | $156,076 | $389,648 | +150% |
| Philadelphia | $72,312 | $231,584 | +220% |
| New York City | $311,618 | $825,854 | +165% |
| Reno | $196,511 | $571,562 | +191% |
| Charleston, SC | $174,186 | $587,511 | +237% |
| Tampa | $113,308 | $375,619 | +232% |
| Pittsburgh | $85,642 | $234,620 | +174% |
| Cape Coral | $140,931 | $334,660 | +137% |
| Salt Lake City | $175,745 | $568,970 | +224% |
| Bend | $191,644 | $721,430 | +276% |
| Raleigh | $183,389 | $424,663 | +132% |
| Naples | $218,481 | $545,587 | +150% |
| Jacksonville | $111,004 | $284,832 | +157% |
| Detroit | $69,346 | $74,742 | +8% |
| Columbus, Ohio | $103,200 | $243,122 | +136% |
| Irvine | $391,648 | $1,481,490 | +278% |
Zillow Home Value Index, yearly average for 2002 and the September 2026 value. See each city today: home prices by city.
Home prices in 2002 by state
Zillow's typical value measure shows Hawaii rising the most since 2002, by +270%, and Louisiana rising the least, by +73%. Every state's FHFA index held steady or rose during 2002.
| State | Typical value, 2002 | Typical value, September 2026 | FHFA change in 2002 | FHFA change since 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $110,071 | $238,614 | +2.9% | +140% |
| Alaska | $171,789 | $397,932 | +5.4% | +158% |
| Arizona | $154,259 | $416,733 | +5.4% | +221% |
| Arkansas | $98,066 | $224,158 | +3.3% | +145% |
| California | $252,605 | $761,538 | +11.2% | +185% |
| Colorado | $218,704 | $529,013 | +5.0% | +176% |
| Connecticut | $202,224 | $447,319 | +9.6% | +129% |
| Delaware | $172,842 | $405,061 | +8.0% | +152% |
| District of Columbia | $208,533 | $567,271 | +15.2% | +217% |
| Florida | $133,058 | $375,361 | +10.2% | +230% |
| Georgia | $146,532 | $329,115 | +4.5% | +151% |
| Hawaii | $225,064 | $832,932 | +7.7% | +262% |
| Idaho | $134,402 | $476,754 | +3.1% | +283% |
| Illinois | $154,791 | $295,943 | +6.2% | +103% |
| Indiana | $103,772 | $257,165 | +2.9% | +138% |
| Iowa | $101,894 | $236,623 | +3.7% | +125% |
| Kansas | $99,499 | $246,055 | +4.3% | +144% |
| Kentucky | $100,312 | $230,909 | +3.3% | +146% |
| Louisiana | $123,706 | $213,867 | +3.9% | +115% |
| Maine | $138,614 | $412,002 | +9.9% | +206% |
| Maryland | $180,103 | $424,890 | +10.4% | +149% |
| Massachusetts | $269,876 | $655,219 | +12.2% | +151% |
| Michigan | $134,087 | $263,760 | +4.4% | +105% |
| Minnesota | $164,470 | $348,778 | +9.0% | +118% |
| Mississippi | $99,603 | $194,531 | +2.5% | +118% |
| Missouri | $114,547 | $265,387 | +5.5% | +142% |
| Montana | $467,275 | +5.5% | +264% | |
| Nebraska | $112,204 | $278,299 | +3.3% | +154% |
| Nevada | $178,282 | $440,739 | +6.4% | +193% |
| New Hampshire | $180,963 | $510,937 | +11.9% | +176% |
| New Jersey | $217,722 | $575,123 | +12.1% | +172% |
| New Mexico | $315,812 | +3.6% | +160% | |
| New York | $185,768 | $524,942 | +10.5% | +181% |
| North Carolina | $140,446 | $332,159 | +3.1% | +174% |
| North Dakota | $290,657 | +4.4% | +205% | |
| Ohio | $116,041 | $245,982 | +3.4% | +118% |
| Oklahoma | $92,814 | $220,801 | +3.9% | +149% |
| Oregon | $166,125 | $492,753 | +4.3% | +210% |
| Pennsylvania | $114,387 | $287,078 | +6.5% | +169% |
| Rhode Island | $178,215 | $508,507 | +15.4% | +187% |
| South Carolina | $126,566 | $304,319 | +3.6% | +180% |
| South Dakota | $111,844 | $317,874 | +4.3% | +191% |
| Tennessee | $121,221 | $330,844 | +2.9% | +204% |
| Texas | $118,774 | $296,424 | +3.6% | +196% |
| Utah | $179,066 | $532,920 | +1.3% | +243% |
| Vermont | $139,956 | $391,900 | +7.7% | +203% |
| Virginia | $151,831 | $412,252 | +8.7% | +181% |
| Washington | $195,921 | $587,533 | +4.4% | +240% |
| West Virginia | $81,917 | $176,576 | +3.5% | +126% |
| Wisconsin | $137,368 | $337,196 | +5.0% | +153% |
| Wyoming | $369,044 | +6.4% | +204% |
Typical value from the Zillow Home Value Index, the 2002 average and September 2026 value. The FHFA all-transactions house price index shows change from the 2002 yearly average through Q2 2026. FHFA HPI datasets
Current value of a 2002 home
A house priced at $144,276 in 2002 matched the typical US value for that year. If it followed the Zillow index, it would now be worth about $366,157. Following consumer prices alone, it would be worth $270,256. With inflation included, today's median price for a new house is 13% higher than in 2002.
| A $144,276 home from 2002 | Worth now | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Grown with the Zillow index for the US | $366,157 | September 2026 |
| Growth measured by the US FHFA house price index | $385,509 | Q2 2026 |
| Grown with consumer prices only (CPI-U) | $270,256 | September 2026 |
Each series compared with itself in 2002 and today:
| Series | 2002 | Now | As of | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median new house sold, Census and HUD | $186,025 | $393,300 | Q3 2026 | +111% |
| Average new house sold, Census and HUD | $226,700 | $494,400 | Q3 2026 | +118% |
| Typical home value, Zillow ZHVI | $144,276 | $366,157 | September 2026 | +154% |
| FHFA house price index (an index, not dollars) | 269.4 | 719.9 | Q2 2026 | +167% |
| Consumer prices (CPI-U) | 179.9 | 336.9 | September 2026 | +87% |
Given a city and the price paid: the calculator for home appreciation.
The context of 2002
For the Zillow line covering the entire country, the dashed line identifies 2002.
For an earlier year, see home prices in 2001. For a later year, see home prices in 2003. All annual home prices appear on one page: home prices by year. Since 1975, each housing market fall is covered in crash history. For a home bought in 2002, find its current city-by-city value with the appreciation calculator.