- Buying a home these days is more expensive than ever.
- We calculated how much the median value of a home has changed over nearly 50 years using data from the US Census Bureau.
- The national median home value adjusted for inflation has increased by 103% – and more than half of all states have seen their median home value more than double.
The cost to buy a home in America is more expensive than it’s ever been – so much so that millennial homeownership is at record lows because they have to spend more time saving money for a down payment.
So just how much has the value of a home changed over the past 50 years?
To find out, we took to the US Census Bureau, which provides a table showing median home values from previous decades in each state and the District of Columbia. We compared the median home value in 1970, adjusted for inflation to 2017 dollars using the Consumer Price Index, to the median home value in 2017, according to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, and calculated the percentage change.
Note that median means that half of the homes are valued above that number and half below. This data technically covers the past 47 years, but as the US Census Bureau’s table provided information on a decade basis, it’s the closest information available to the past 50 years.
In 1970, the national median home value adjusted for inflation was $107,291; in 2017, it's $217,600 - that's a 103% increase. In fact, more than half of all US States (including Washington, DC) have seen a median home value increase of more than 100%.
Take a look below, ranked from lowest to highest median home value percentage change.
51. Ohio
Cost of a home in 1970: $111,078
Cost of a home in 2017: $144,200
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 30%
50. Michigan
Cost of a home in 1970: $110,447
Cost of a home in 2017: $155,700
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 41%
49. Illinois
Cost of a home in 1970: $124,963
Cost of a home in 2017: $195,300
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 56%
48. Indiana
Cost of a home in 1970: $87,095
Cost of a home in 2017: $141,100
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 62%
47. Wisconsin
Cost of a home in 1970: $109,185
Cost of a home in 2017: $178,900
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 64%
46. West Virginia
Cost of a home in 1970: $71,317
Cost of a home in 2017: $119,800
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 68%
43 (TIE). Connecticut
Cost of a home in 1970: $160,937
Cost of a home in 2017: $273,100
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 70%
43 (TIE). Iowa
Cost of a home in 1970: $87,726
Cost of a home in 2017: $149,100
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 70%
43 (TIE). Mississippi
Cost of a home in 1970: $70,686
Cost of a home in 2017: $120,200
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 70%
42. Missouri
Cost of a home in 1970: $90,882
Cost of a home in 2017: $156,700
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 72%
41. Louisiana
Cost of a home in 1970: $92,144
Cost of a home in 2017: $162,500
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 76%
40. Kentucky
Cost of a home in 1970: $79,522
Cost of a home in 2017: $141,000
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 77%
39. Nevada
Cost of a home in 1970: $141,372
Cost of a home in 2017: $258,200
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 83%
38. Alabama
Cost of a home in 1970: $76,997
Cost of a home in 2017: $141,300
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 84%
37. Georgia
Cost of a home in 1970: $92,144
Cost of a home in 2017: $173,700
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 89%
36. Alaska
Cost of a home in 1970: $143,265
Cost of a home in 2017: $273,100
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 91%
35. Arkansas
Cost of a home in 1970: $66,268
Cost of a home in 2017: $128,500
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 94%
34. Oklahoma
Cost of a home in 1970: $70,055
Cost of a home in 2017: $137,400
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 96%
31 (TIE). Minnesota
Cost of a home in 1970: $113,602
Cost of a home in 2017: $224,000
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 97%
31 (TIE). South Carolina
Cost of a home in 1970: $82,046
Cost of a home in 2017: $161,800
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 97%
31 (TIE). Kansas
Cost of a home in 1970: $76,366
Cost of a home in 2017: $150,600
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 97%
30. Nebraska
Cost of a home in 1970: $78,259
Cost of a home in 2017: $155,800
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 99%
29. New Mexico
Cost of a home in 1970: $82,046
Cost of a home in 2017: $171,300
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 109%
28. Pennsylvania
Cost of a home in 1970: $85,833
Cost of a home in 2017: $181,200
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 111%
27 (TIE). North Carolina
Cost of a home in 1970: $80,784
Cost of a home in 2017: $171,200
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 112%
26 (TIE). Tennessee
Cost of a home in 1970: $78,891
Cost of a home in 2017: $167,500
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 112%
25. Arizona
Cost of a home in 1970: $102,873
Cost of a home in 2017: $223,400
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 117%
24. Vermont
Cost of a home in 1970: $103,504
Cost of a home in 2017: $226,300
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 119%
23. New York
Cost of a home in 1970: $142,003
Cost of a home in 2017: $314,500
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 121%
22. Wyoming
Cost of a home in 1970: $96,562
Cost of a home in 2017: $214,300
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 122%
21. Rhode Island
Cost of a home in 1970: $114,865
Cost of a home in 2017: $257,800
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 124%
20. Florida
Cost of a home in 1970: $94,669
Cost of a home in 2017: $214,000
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 126%
18 (TIE). New Jersey
Cost of a home in 1970: $147,683
Cost of a home in 2017: $334,900
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 127%
18 (TIE). Texas
Cost of a home in 1970: $75,735
Cost of a home in 2017: $172,200
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 127%
17 (TIE). Idaho
Cost of a home in 1970: $88,989
Cost of a home in 2017: $207,100
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 133%
16 (TIE). South Dakota
Cost of a home in 1970: $71,948
Cost of a home in 2017: $167,600
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 133%
15. Delaware
Cost of a home in 1970: $107,922
Cost of a home in 2017: $252,800
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 134%
13 (TIE). Maine
Cost of a home in 1970: $80,784
Cost of a home in 2017: $191,200
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 137%
13 (TIE). North Dakota
Cost of a home in 1970: $82,046
Cost of a home in 2017: $194,700
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 137%
12. Virginia
Cost of a home in 1970: $107,922
Cost of a home in 2017: $273,400
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 153%
11. New Hampshire
Cost of a home in 1970: $103,504
Cost of a home in 2017: $263,600
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 155%
10. Utah
Cost of a home in 1970: $106,029
Cost of a home in 2017: $275,100
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 159%
9. Montana
Cost of a home in 1970: $88,357
Cost of a home in 2017: $231,300
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 162%
8. Maryland
Cost of a home in 1970: $118,020
Cost of a home in 2017: $312,500
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 165%
7. Hawaii
Cost of a home in 1970: $221,525
Cost of a home in 2017: $617,400
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 179%
6. Washington
Cost of a home in 1970: $116,758
Cost of a home in 2017: $339,000
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 190%
5. Massachusetts
Cost of a home in 1970: $130,012
Cost of a home in 2017: $385,400
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 196%
4. Colorado
Cost of a home in 1970: $109,185
Cost of a home in 2017: $348,900
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 220%
3. Oregon
Cost of a home in 1970: $97,193
Cost of a home in 2017: $319,200
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 228%
2. California
Cost of a home in 1970: $145,790
Cost of a home in 2017: $509,400
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 249%
1. Washington, DC
Cost of a home in 1970: $134,430
Cost of a home in 2017: $607,200
Percentage change from 1970 to 2017: 352%