If it feels like homes are getting more and more expensive these days, it’s not your imagination.
Housing prices in many places have seen double-digit increases over the last year.
The median home sales price in the U.S. for the fourth quarter of 2023 was $417,700. Of course, if you want to compare historical prices to today’s, you have to account for inflation.
That’s what we’ve done, using inflation-adjusted data on median home prices from a 60-year period. Federal Reserve data on American home sales prices goes back to 1963, and for perspective, we’ve also included home values for 1950 and 1960 using U.S. Census Bureau data.
Following is a look at national median and inflation-adjusted home sale prices over the past several decades.
2000
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $165,300
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $302,022
1999
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $157,400
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $295,465
1998
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $152,200
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $290,477
1997
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $145,000
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $281,084
1996
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $137,000
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $273,660
1995
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $130,000
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $266,761
1994
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $130,000
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $274,242
1993
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $125,000
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $270,352
1992
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $119,500
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $266,878
1991
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $120,000
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $274,963
1990
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $123,900
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $299,944
1989
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $118,000
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $300,522
1988
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $110,000
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $293,223
1987
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $97,900
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $271,529
1986
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $88,000
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $247,634
1985
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $82,800
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $242,056
1984
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $78,200
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $236,685
1983
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $73,300
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $231,155
1982
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $66,400
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $217,167
1981
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $66,800
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $236,808
1980
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $63,700
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $252,521
1979
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $60,600
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $273,647
1978
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $53,000
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $261,538
1977
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $46,300
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $244,098
1976
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $42,800
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars):$237,415
1975
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $38,100
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $225,541
1974
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $35,200
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $232,967
1973
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $30,200
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $218,643
1972
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $26,200
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $196,606
1971
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $24,300
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $188,305
1970
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $23,900
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $195,004
1969
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $25,700
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $222,649
1968
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $23,900
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $216,163
1967
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $22,300
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $209,049
1966
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $21,000
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $203,672
1965
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $20,200
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $199,680
1964
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $18,500
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $184,651
1963
National median sale price for a house sold in the first quarter of this year: $17,800
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $180,586
1960
National median home value in this year: $11,900
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $125,262
1950
National median home value in this year: $7,354
Adjusted for overall inflation (2024 dollars): $96,515
Get smarter with your money!
Want the best money-news and tips to help you make more and spend less? Then sign up for the free Money Talks Newsletter to receive daily updates of personal finance news and advice, delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for our free newsletter today.
