Television Prices Price History
1955–2025 · Bureau of Labor Statistics / Consumer Electronics Association
The average selling price of a television in the United States, tracked from 1955 to 2025. TVs are one of the rare consumer products that have actually gotten cheaper over the decades — and dramatically so when you factor in what you're getting for the money. A $250 set in 1955 bought you a grainy black-and-white picture on a tiny screen. Today's $370 average gets you a 55-inch 4K smart TV with built-in streaming. It's arguably the best deflation story in all of consumer spending, and the data tells it clearly.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics / Consumer Electronics Association1955–2025
Price in 1955
$250.00
Price in 2025
$370.00
Total Change
+48.0%
Years Tracked
70
Television Prices Over Time
1955Year Range2025
Compare to inflation: The chart above shows nominal (not inflation-adjusted) prices. Use the toggle to switch to inflation-adjusted values when available, or try the inflation calculator to convert any amount between years.
Key Insights
- In 1955, the average TV sold for about $250 — that's roughly $2,800 in today's dollars. The 2025 average of $370 means televisions have fallen by over 85% in real terms, making them one of the most dramatic deflation stories in consumer goods.
- The flat-panel transition in the mid-2000s briefly pushed average prices above $400 as early adopters paid a premium for plasma and LCD sets. But competition crushed margins fast — by 2010, average prices had already dropped back below $300.
- The late '90s were the cheapest era for buying a TV in nominal terms, with averages bottoming out around $225 in 1999. CRT sets were mature technology and manufacturers were in a price war nobody could win.
- Pandemic-era demand and supply chain chaos pushed the average from $260 in 2020 to $370 by 2025 — the steepest sustained price increase since color TV went mainstream in the 1960s.
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Price (USD) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | $250.00 | — |
| 1956 | $235.00 | -6.0% |
| 1957 | $225.00 | -4.3% |
| 1958 | $215.00 | -4.4% |
| 1959 | $210.00 | -2.3% |
| 1960 | $230.00 | +9.5% |
| 1961 | $220.00 | -4.3% |
| 1962 | $215.00 | -2.3% |
| 1963 | $210.00 | -2.3% |
| 1964 | $205.00 | -2.4% |
| 1965 | $250.00 | +22.0% |
| 1966 | $280.00 | +12.0% |
| 1967 | $300.00 | +7.1% |
| 1968 | $320.00 | +6.7% |
| 1969 | $340.00 | +6.3% |
| 1970 | $350.00 | +2.9% |
| 1971 | $340.00 | -2.9% |
| 1972 | $335.00 | -1.5% |
| 1973 | $330.00 | -1.5% |
| 1974 | $340.00 | +3.0% |
| 1975 | $345.00 | +1.5% |
| 1976 | $340.00 | -1.4% |
| 1977 | $335.00 | -1.5% |
| 1978 | $330.00 | -1.5% |
| 1979 | $340.00 | +3.0% |
| 1980 | $355.00 | +4.4% |
| 1981 | $365.00 | +2.8% |
| 1982 | $360.00 | -1.4% |
| 1983 | $350.00 | -2.8% |
| 1984 | $340.00 | -2.9% |
| 1985 | $330.00 | -2.9% |
| 1986 | $320.00 | -3.0% |
| 1987 | $310.00 | -3.1% |
| 1988 | $300.00 | -3.2% |
| 1989 | $295.00 | -1.7% |
| 1990 | $290.00 | -1.7% |
| 1991 | $285.00 | -1.7% |
| 1992 | $275.00 | -3.5% |
| 1993 | $270.00 | -1.8% |
| 1994 | $260.00 | -3.7% |
| 1995 | $250.00 | -3.8% |
| 1996 | $245.00 | -2.0% |
| 1997 | $240.00 | -2.0% |
| 1998 | $235.00 | -2.1% |
| 1999 | $225.00 | -4.3% |
| 2000 | $230.00 | +2.2% |
| 2001 | $235.00 | +2.2% |
| 2002 | $240.00 | +2.1% |
| 2003 | $275.00 | +14.6% |
| 2004 | $320.00 | +16.4% |
| 2005 | $350.00 | +9.4% |
| 2006 | $400.00 | +14.3% |
| 2007 | $430.00 | +7.5% |
| 2008 | $375.00 | -12.8% |
| 2009 | $320.00 | -14.7% |
| 2010 | $285.00 | -10.9% |
| 2011 | $260.00 | -8.8% |
| 2012 | $240.00 | -7.7% |
| 2013 | $225.00 | -6.3% |
| 2014 | $215.00 | -4.4% |
| 2015 | $210.00 | -2.3% |
| 2016 | $220.00 | +4.8% |
| 2017 | $225.00 | +2.3% |
| 2018 | $230.00 | +2.2% |
| 2019 | $235.00 | +2.2% |
| 2020 | $260.00 | +10.6% |
| 2021 | $310.00 | +19.2% |
| 2022 | $340.00 | +9.7% |
| 2023 | $350.00 | +2.9% |
| 2024 | $365.00 | +4.3% |
| 2025 | $370.00 | +1.4% |
Year1955
Price (USD)$250.00
YoY Change—
Year1956
Price (USD)$235.00
YoY Change-6.0%
Year1957
Price (USD)$225.00
YoY Change-4.3%
Year1958
Price (USD)$215.00
YoY Change-4.4%
Year1959
Price (USD)$210.00
YoY Change-2.3%
Year1960
Price (USD)$230.00
YoY Change+9.5%
Year1961
Price (USD)$220.00
YoY Change-4.3%
Year1962
Price (USD)$215.00
YoY Change-2.3%
Year1963
Price (USD)$210.00
YoY Change-2.3%
Year1964
Price (USD)$205.00
YoY Change-2.4%
Year1965
Price (USD)$250.00
YoY Change+22.0%
Year1966
Price (USD)$280.00
YoY Change+12.0%
Year1967
Price (USD)$300.00
YoY Change+7.1%
Year1968
Price (USD)$320.00
YoY Change+6.7%
Year1969
Price (USD)$340.00
YoY Change+6.3%
Year1970
Price (USD)$350.00
YoY Change+2.9%
Year1971
Price (USD)$340.00
YoY Change-2.9%
Year1972
Price (USD)$335.00
YoY Change-1.5%
Year1973
Price (USD)$330.00
YoY Change-1.5%
Year1974
Price (USD)$340.00
YoY Change+3.0%
Year1975
Price (USD)$345.00
YoY Change+1.5%
Year1976
Price (USD)$340.00
YoY Change-1.4%
Year1977
Price (USD)$335.00
YoY Change-1.5%
Year1978
Price (USD)$330.00
YoY Change-1.5%
Year1979
Price (USD)$340.00
YoY Change+3.0%
Year1980
Price (USD)$355.00
YoY Change+4.4%
Year1981
Price (USD)$365.00
YoY Change+2.8%
Year1982
Price (USD)$360.00
YoY Change-1.4%
Year1983
Price (USD)$350.00
YoY Change-2.8%
Year1984
Price (USD)$340.00
YoY Change-2.9%
Year1985
Price (USD)$330.00
YoY Change-2.9%
Year1986
Price (USD)$320.00
YoY Change-3.0%
Year1987
Price (USD)$310.00
YoY Change-3.1%
Year1988
Price (USD)$300.00
YoY Change-3.2%
Year1989
Price (USD)$295.00
YoY Change-1.7%
Year1990
Price (USD)$290.00
YoY Change-1.7%
Year1991
Price (USD)$285.00
YoY Change-1.7%
Year1992
Price (USD)$275.00
YoY Change-3.5%
Year1993
Price (USD)$270.00
YoY Change-1.8%
Year1994
Price (USD)$260.00
YoY Change-3.7%
Year1995
Price (USD)$250.00
YoY Change-3.8%
Year1996
Price (USD)$245.00
YoY Change-2.0%
Year1997
Price (USD)$240.00
YoY Change-2.0%
Year1998
Price (USD)$235.00
YoY Change-2.1%
Year1999
Price (USD)$225.00
YoY Change-4.3%
Year2000
Price (USD)$230.00
YoY Change+2.2%
Year2001
Price (USD)$235.00
YoY Change+2.2%
Year2002
Price (USD)$240.00
YoY Change+2.1%
Year2003
Price (USD)$275.00
YoY Change+14.6%
Year2004
Price (USD)$320.00
YoY Change+16.4%
Year2005
Price (USD)$350.00
YoY Change+9.4%
Year2006
Price (USD)$400.00
YoY Change+14.3%
Year2007
Price (USD)$430.00
YoY Change+7.5%
Year2008
Price (USD)$375.00
YoY Change-12.8%
Year2009
Price (USD)$320.00
YoY Change-14.7%
Year2010
Price (USD)$285.00
YoY Change-10.9%
Year2011
Price (USD)$260.00
YoY Change-8.8%
Year2012
Price (USD)$240.00
YoY Change-7.7%
Year2013
Price (USD)$225.00
YoY Change-6.3%
Year2014
Price (USD)$215.00
YoY Change-4.4%
Year2015
Price (USD)$210.00
YoY Change-2.3%
Year2016
Price (USD)$220.00
YoY Change+4.8%
Year2017
Price (USD)$225.00
YoY Change+2.3%
Year2018
Price (USD)$230.00
YoY Change+2.2%
Year2019
Price (USD)$235.00
YoY Change+2.2%
Year2020
Price (USD)$260.00
YoY Change+10.6%
Year2021
Price (USD)$310.00
YoY Change+19.2%
Year2022
Price (USD)$340.00
YoY Change+9.7%
Year2023
Price (USD)$350.00
YoY Change+2.9%
Year2024
Price (USD)$365.00
YoY Change+4.3%
Year2025
Price (USD)$370.00
YoY Change+1.4%
Sources & Methodology
BLS CPI data for televisions combined with Consumer Electronics Association (now CTA) annual average selling price data. Pre-1970 estimates from industry reports. Prices reflect the average TV actually sold, not specific models.
Primary source: Bureau of Labor Statistics / Consumer Electronics Association
For a full explanation of how we collect and adjust data, see our methodology page.