Used Car Depreciation by Model Year: 2026 Market Data
Quick answer
On the active used-car market, median asking price falls from about $25,500 for a 2024 down to $4,500 for a 2010 — the steepest drops hit in the first 5 years. Listing volume peaks at model years 2015–2017 (~20,000 listings each), which sit right in the $7,200–$9,600 range. That combination of high supply and low price is why those model years are the classic flip sweet spot.
In this article (5 sections)
Everyone knows a new car "loses value the moment you drive it off the lot." But how much, and for how long? We measured it against real market data — the median asking price for every model year on the active used-car market — and the curve has a clear message for anyone buying to flip.
LocalIQ™ market snapshot
What top flip candidates are asking right now
| Model | Listings | Median asking price |
|---|---|---|
| GMC Sierra 1500 | 523 | $29,995 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | 1,367 | $25,000 |
| Toyota Tacoma | 1,164 | $27,516 |
| Ford F-150 | 2,592 | $23,995 |
| Ram 1500 | 992 | $22,900 |
| Ford Mustang | 571 | $20,995 |
| Jeep Wrangler | 548 | $25,089 |
| Chevrolet 1500 | 539 | $20,900 |
LocalIQ™ asking-price median · 8,296 listings · updated every 6 hours. National, last 8 model years; asking price is your resale ceiling, not a promised sale price.
The depreciation curve (median asking price by model year)
| Model year | Active listings | Median price |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7,454 | $25,466 |
| 2023 | 8,812 | $24,500 |
| 2022 | 8,032 | $21,950 |
| 2021 | 9,582 | $18,900 |
| 2020 | 11,670 | $15,495 |
| 2019 | 15,572 | $13,950 |
| 2018 | 17,300 | $11,995 |
| 2017 | 19,856 | $9,600 |
| 2016 | 19,575 | $8,000 |
| 2015 | 19,782 | $7,200 |
| 2014 | 17,532 | $6,400 |
| 2013 | 16,335 | $5,500 |
| 2012 | 13,633 | $5,000 |
| 2011 | 10,579 | $4,900 |
| 2010 | 8,745 | $4,500 |
What the curve shows
The first five years are brutal. A 2024 lists at ~$25,500; by 2020 (four years older) it's ~$15,500 — a ~40% drop in four years. That's the classic "new-car cliff."
Then it flattens. From 2017 ($9,600) to 2010 ($4,500), the car loses value far more slowly per year. The steep part of the curve is behind it.
Supply peaks in the middle. Listing volume tops out at model years 2015–2017 (~20,000 listings each) — these are the cars flooding the market as their original owners trade up. More supply = more chances to find an underpriced one.
The flipper's sweet spot: 2015–2017
Put the price curve and the supply curve together and one band lights up:
- Price: $7,200–$9,600 median — squarely in the sub-$10K range where most independent flippers operate.
- Supply: the three highest-volume model years on the market — you can actually find inventory, and find it underpriced.
- Age: recent enough to be reliable and financeable, old enough that the steep depreciation already happened (so you're not the one eating it).
Newer cars (2021+) tie up far more capital per unit for a thinner percentage margin. Much older cars (pre-2012) get cheap but inventory thins and repair risk climbs. The middle is where velocity and margin meet. See Best Cars to Flip Under $10,000 for specific models in this band.
The catch (same as always)
A depreciation curve is a national average. The dollar you actually make depends on the local price for a specific year/make/model — which varies by thousands across states. Pair this with Cheapest States to Flip Cars and run the real numbers with the Max Bid Calculator before you buy.
Methodology
Median asking prices from CarFlipIQ's listings dataset — active used-car listings priced $1,000–$100,000 across all 50 US states (463,000+ active vehicles). "Median price" is the 50th-percentile asking price per model year. Figures reflect asking prices, a proxy for market value, not final sale prices.
See the real local price for any year and model.
CarFlipIQ tracks prices and days-on-market across all 50 states, so you buy against the local number, not a national average. Analyze 5 cars free, no credit card.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a used car depreciate each year?
The steepest depreciation is in the first 5 years. On the active market, median asking price runs about $25,500 (2024), $18,900 (2021), $15,500 (2020), then flattens: $9,600 (2017), $7,200 (2015), and $4,500 (2010). After roughly 8–10 years the curve flattens out and cars hold their remaining value more slowly.
What is the best model year to buy a used car?
For value, the 2015–2017 model years are the sweet spot: prices have already absorbed the steep early depreciation ($7,200–$9,600 median) but the cars are recent enough to be reliable — and they're the most abundant on the market (~20,000 listings each), so you have selection and leverage.
Which model years are best for flipping cars?
The 2015–2017 years combine the two things a flipper wants: high supply (easy to source an underpriced one) and a low-enough price to hit the sub-$10K flip range where most independent flippers operate. Newer years tie up more capital; much older years get thin on inventory.
How we get these numbers
Market figures come from LocalIQ™, CarFlipIQ's index of asking prices on local used-car listings. We report medians rather than averages, so a few outlier listings can't drag the number, and a model only appears once it has at least 10 listings behind it. Asking prices tell you what the market is asking, not what a car will sell for — treat them as your resale ceiling.
Check the resale before you bid
Look up any year, make and model against LocalIQ™ asking prices in your market. 5 free car analyses, no credit card.
