Average Cost of a House in the U.S. (2026)
The average house in the United States costs about $417,500 — the median sale price of an existing home as of September 2026. Across every ZIP code, the typical home is worth about $289,000 (~$193/sq ft). Below: what that house really costs to buy each month, the cash you need up front, and the average cost in every state.
Average vs. median: which number is “the cost of a house”?
Three numbers get quoted as the average cost of a house, and they differ by more than $100,000. The median sale price ($417,500, National Association of Realtors, September 2026) is the middle price of homes that actually sold — it leans toward expensive metros where more transactions happen. The typical home value ($289,000, our ZIP-level dataset built on Zillow and Realtor.com research) is the middle of all homes whether or not they sold this year. And the mean runs higher still, pulled up by luxury sales. When someone asks what an average house costs, the median sale price is the honest headline; when you are pricing a specific home, the ZIP-level figure is closer to what you will pay. Both are up roughly +85.6% over the past decade in the median state (FHFA house price index through 2025).
What an average house actually costs to buy
The sticker price is only the start. Here is the real cash and monthly budget for the $417,500 median home, using a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value, and mortgage insurance below 20% down:
| Down payment | Cash down | + Closing (2–5%) | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $20,900 | $8,400–$20,900 | $3,290/mo | $141,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $41,800 | $8,400–$20,900 | $3,150/mo | $135,000/yr |
| 20% | $83,500 | $8,400–$20,900 | $2,650/mo | $114,000/yr |
So the average house needs somewhere between $29,000 (5% down, low closing costs) and $104,000 (20% down) in cash, and a household income of roughly $114,000–$141,000 a year. Run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator or compare against renting with the rent vs. buy calculator.
Average cost of a house by size
At the typical U.S. rate of about $193 per square foot (the median across ZIP codes), here is what different home sizes cost and what it takes to afford them with 20% down:
| Home size | Typical price | Monthly (20% down) | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | $193,000 | $1,230/mo | $53,000 |
| 1,500 sq ft | $289,500 | $1,840/mo | $79,000 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $386,000 | $2,450/mo | $105,000 |
| 2,500 sq ft | $482,500 | $3,060/mo | $131,000 |
| 3,000 sq ft | $579,000 | $3,680/mo | $158,000 |
Average cost of a house by state
Typical home value in every state, with price per square foot, the income needed to buy the typical home with 20% down, and how much prices have moved in 10 years (FHFA). Click a state for its cities, counties and ZIP codes.
| # | State | Typical value | $ / sq ft | Income needed | 10-yr change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $842,000 | $689 | $229,000 | +73.3% |
| 2 | California | $688,000 | $451 | $187,000 | +80.3% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $617,000 | $355 | $168,000 | +87.1% |
| 4 | New Jersey | $573,000 | $327 | $156,000 | +87.7% |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $567,000 | $489 | $154,000 | +40.1% |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $523,500 | $352 | $142,000 | +112.1% |
| 7 | Washington | $501,000 | $312 | $136,000 | +113.0% |
| 8 | Colorado | $494,000 | $269 | $134,000 | +93.3% |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $479,500 | $296 | $130,000 | +113.0% |
| 10 | Utah | $479,000 | $238 | $130,000 | +120.6% |
| 11 | Oregon | $459,500 | $294 | $125,000 | +85.5% |
| 12 | Connecticut | $447,000 | $265 | $122,000 | +75.1% |
| 13 | Idaho | $444,000 | $278 | $121,000 | +149.0% |
| 14 | Maryland | $441,000 | $233 | $120,000 | +59.8% |
| 15 | Montana | $418,500 | $280 | $114,000 | +105.0% |
| 16 | Nevada | $411,000 | $257 | $112,000 | +120.7% |
| 17 | Alaska | $401,000 | $266 | $109,000 | +52.4% |
| 18 | Arizona | $385,000 | $248 | $105,000 | +118.7% |
| 19 | Delaware | $377,500 | $221 | $103,000 | +74.2% |
| 20 | Wyoming | $360,500 | $215 | $98,000 | +67.5% |
| 21 | Vermont | $352,000 | $251 | $96,000 | +88.8% |
| 22 | Maine | $351,000 | $259 | $95,000 | +112.4% |
| 23 | Florida | $345,000 | $229 | $94,000 | +126.8% |
| 24 | Virginia | $336,500 | $221 | $92,000 | +74.6% |
| 25 | New York | $333,000 | $241 | $91,000 | +85.6% |
| 26 | New Mexico | $319,000 | $205 | $87,000 | +81.6% |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $311,000 | $207 | $85,000 | +95.5% |
| 28 | South Dakota | $298,000 | $165 | $81,000 | +84.7% |
| 29 | Minnesota | $297,000 | $188 | $81,000 | +71.4% |
| 30 | North Carolina | $287,000 | $203 | $78,000 | +106.6% |
| 31 | Tennessee | $267,000 | $213 | $73,000 | +113.5% |
| 32 | Texas | $261,000 | $171 | $71,000 | +88.2% |
| 33 | Georgia | $257,000 | $175 | $70,000 | +110.1% |
| 34 | Missouri | $245,000 | $159 | $67,000 | +88.2% |
| 35 | Michigan | $244,000 | $187 | $66,000 | +96.7% |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $238,000 | $165 | $65,000 | +76.8% |
| 37 | North Dakota | $237,000 | $122 | $64,000 | +45.0% |
| 38 | South Carolina | $236,000 | $177 | $64,000 | +104.3% |
| 39 | Indiana | $234,000 | $154 | $64,000 | +94.5% |
| 40 | Nebraska | $234,000 | $139 | $64,000 | +87.0% |
| 41 | Ohio | $225,500 | $160 | $61,000 | +93.4% |
| 42 | Arkansas | $211,500 | $144 | $58,000 | +78.6% |
| 43 | Iowa | $207,500 | $133 | $56,000 | +65.4% |
| 44 | Alabama | $201,000 | $150 | $55,000 | +77.2% |
| 45 | Louisiana | $198,000 | $133 | $54,000 | +37.9% |
| 46 | Illinois | $197,000 | $134 | $54,000 | +64.6% |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $188,000 | $140 | $51,000 | +71.1% |
| 48 | Kentucky | $181,000 | $152 | $49,000 | +84.1% |
| 49 | Kansas | $178,000 | $118 | $48,000 | +83.6% |
| 50 | Mississippi | $153,000 | $126 | $42,000 | +62.3% |
| 51 | West Virginia | $150,000 | $118 | $41,000 | +54.1% |
Where houses cost the least — and the most
The gap between states is enormous: a typical home in West Virginia ($150,000) costs about 5.6× less than one in Hawaii ($842,000). The five most affordable states by typical value are West Virginia ($150,000), Mississippi ($153,000), Kansas ($178,000), Kentucky ($181,000), Oklahoma ($188,000); the five most expensive are Hawaii ($842,000), California ($688,000), Massachusetts ($617,000), New Jersey ($573,000), District of Columbia ($567,000). Within a state the spread is just as wide — see the cheapest places to live in West Virginia or any state’s city-by-city page.
Is it cheaper to build than buy?
Rarely. An existing 2,000 sq ft home runs about $386,000 at the typical U.S. rate, land included. Building the same house costs roughly $150–$250 per square foot for construction alone in most states — $300,000–$500,000 before you buy the lot, run utilities, and pay permits and design fees. The rebuild cost calculator shows construction cost per square foot for your state and compares it with local market prices.
Where to go from here
- What is my home worth? — a free estimate for any ZIP code.
- Price per square foot by ZIP code — the national, state and ZIP-level $/sq ft.
- Relocation calculator — where the same budget buys the most house.
- Home appreciation calculator — project a home’s value from its ZIP code’s track record.
Average cost of a house: frequently asked
What is the average cost of a house in the U.S. in 2026? +
How much do you need to earn to afford an average house? +
How much is the down payment on an average house? +
Which states have the cheapest and most expensive houses? +
Is it cheaper to build or buy a house? +
Sources: National Association of Realtors existing-home sales (September 2026); SmarterSquares ZIP-level dataset built on Zillow and Realtor.com research (2026); FHFA all-transactions house price index (annual, through 2025). Affordability assumes the constants stated above; your rate, taxes and HOA will differ. Not financial advice.