Ford F-250 vs Ram 1500: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (July 2026), the Ford F-250 typically lists for $66,418 against $43,784 for the Ram 1500 (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Ram 1500 takes fuel economy (19 MPG combined vs 14 MPG). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the XLT at $55,987 vs the SLT at $29,900; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Ford F-250 XLT ($55,987) faces the Ram 1500 SLT ($29,900); the most common trims on the market are the LARIAT (49.3% of Ford F-250 listings) and the LARAMIE (25.4% of Ram 1500 listings); at the top of the market, the PLATINUM ($94,940) faces the LIMITED ($53,864). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Ford F-250 | Ram 1500 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| XL SUPERCAB LB | $37,995 | 0.7% | SLTCheapest | $29,900 | 3.5% |
| XL LB | $43,298 | 0.9% | TRADESMAN | $34,097 | 8.1% |
| XL CREW CAB LB | $43,997 | 1.5% | BIG HORN | $36,036 | 15.5% |
| XLTCheapest | $55,987 | 26.0% | BIG HORN/LONESTAR | $43,146 | 24.6% |
| XL | $56,480 | 16.9% | LARAMIEMost popular | $44,100 | 25.4% |
| LARIATMost popular | $71,988 | 49.3% | REBEL | $49,385 | 10.2% |
| PLATINUMPriciest | $94,940 | 4.7% | LIMITEDPriciest | $53,864 | 6.3% |
| — | RHO | $72,486 | 2.1% | ||
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Ford F-250 prices · Ram 1500 prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Ford F-250 typical | Ram 1500 typical | Difference | Ford F-250 MPG | Ram 1500 MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $77,641 | $54,768 | Ford F-250 +$22,873 | — | 12–22 MPG |
| 2025 | $65,395 | $43,784 | Ford F-250 +$21,611 | — | 15–23 MPG |
| 2024 | $66,418 | $34,980 | Ford F-250 +$31,438 | — | 12–23 MPG |
| 2023 | $59,950 | $37,687 | Ford F-250 +$22,263 | — | 12–24 MPG |
| 2022 | $52,544 | $34,578 | Ford F-250 +$17,966 | — | 12–26 MPG |
| 2021 | $48,659 | $31,606 | Ford F-250 +$17,053 | — | 12–26 MPG |
| 2020 | $43,570 | $29,004 | Ford F-250 +$14,566 | — | 17–26 MPG |
| 2019 | $38,495 | $25,235 | Ford F-250 +$13,260 | — | 17–23 MPG |
| 2018 | $35,976 | $20,869 | Ford F-250 +$15,107 | — | 14–23 MPG |
| 2017 | $34,189 | $19,795 | Ford F-250 +$14,394 | — | 15–23 MPG |
| 2016 | $25,995 | $17,995 | Ford F-250 +$8,000 | — | 15–24 MPG |
| 2015 | $23,990 | $15,995 | Ford F-250 +$7,995 | — | 15–24 MPG |
| 2014 | $24,497 | $14,990 | Ford F-250 +$9,507 | — | 15–23 MPG |
| 2013 | $22,696 | $13,995 | Ford F-250 +$8,701 | — | 15–21 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (July 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Ford F-250 or Ram 1500?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Ram 1500 is cheaper: it typically lists for $43,784 versus $66,418 for the Ford F-250 (national medians, July 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Ford F-250 or Ram 1500?
The Ram 1500: its typical rated version returns 19 MPG combined versus 14 MPG for the Ford F-250 (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is more reliable — Ford F-250 or Ram 1500?
NHTSA lists an average of 2.7 recalls per model year for the Ford F-250 and 13.4 for the Ram 1500 — an edge for the Ford F-250. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Ford F-250 XLT typically lists for $55,987 vs $29,900 for a Ram 1500 SLT; the most common trims on the market are the LARIAT ($71,988, 49.3% of Ford F-250 listings) and the LARAMIE ($44,100, 25.4% of Ram 1500 listings); at the top of the market, the PLATINUM ($94,940) faces the LIMITED ($53,864). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/ford/f-250/vs/ram/1500.
Dig deeper
Ford F-250 — live listings & specs Ram 1500 — live listings & specs Ford F-250 prices by year Ram 1500 prices by year Ford F-250 MPG by year Ram 1500 MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.