Ford F-250 vs Ram 1500: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (October 2026), the Ford F-250 typically lists for $63,767 against $41,329 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 $53,985 vs the BIG HORN at $34,353; 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 ($53,985) faces the Ram 1500 BIG HORN ($34,353); the most common trims on the market are the LARIAT (49.1% of Ford F-250 listings) and the BIG HORN/LONESTAR (27.9% of Ram 1500 listings); at the top of the market, the PLATINUM ($90,129) faces the LIMITED ($53,500). 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 | $35,900 | 0.6% | SLT | $29,436 | 2.6% |
| XL LB | $40,289 | 0.6% | BIG HORNCheapest | $34,353 | 13.5% |
| XL CREW CAB LB | $42,890 | 1.2% | TRADESMAN | $35,000 | 9.3% |
| XLTCheapest | $53,985 | 24.1% | LARAMIE | $43,407 | 25.0% |
| XL | $55,015 | 20.4% | BIG HORN/LONESTARMost popular | $43,973 | 27.9% |
| LARIATMost popular | $68,864 | 49.1% | REBEL | $46,995 | 9.2% |
| PLATINUMPriciest | $90,129 | 4.0% | LIMITEDPriciest | $53,500 | 6.0% |
| — | RHO | $69,982 | 2.5% | ||
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 | $69,984 | $50,803 | Ford F-250 +$19,181 | — | 12–22 MPG |
| 2025 | $58,320 | $41,329 | Ford F-250 +$16,991 | — | 15–23 MPG |
| 2024 | $63,767 | $33,991 | Ford F-250 +$29,776 | — | 12–23 MPG |
| 2023 | $56,385 | $35,584 | Ford F-250 +$20,801 | — | 12–24 MPG |
| 2022 | $49,495 | $32,885 | Ford F-250 +$16,610 | — | 12–26 MPG |
| 2021 | $46,994 | $29,998 | Ford F-250 +$16,996 | — | 12–26 MPG |
| 2020 | $41,247 | $27,739 | Ford F-250 +$13,508 | — | 17–26 MPG |
| 2019 | $36,399 | $23,995 | Ford F-250 +$12,404 | — | 17–23 MPG |
| 2018 | $34,797 | $19,899 | Ford F-250 +$14,898 | — | 14–23 MPG |
| 2017 | $32,980 | $18,988 | Ford F-250 +$13,992 | — | 15–23 MPG |
| 2016 | $25,844 | $17,263 | Ford F-250 +$8,581 | — | 15–24 MPG |
| 2015 | $23,300 | $15,594 | Ford F-250 +$7,706 | — | 15–24 MPG |
| 2014 | $22,372 | $14,522 | Ford F-250 +$7,850 | — | 15–23 MPG |
| 2013 | $21,995 | $13,121 | Ford F-250 +$8,874 | — | 15–21 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (October 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 $41,329 versus $63,767 for the Ford F-250 (national medians, October 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 2.4 recalls per model year for the Ford F-250 and 14.2 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 $53,985 vs $34,353 for a Ram 1500 BIG HORN; the most common trims on the market are the LARIAT ($68,864, 49.1% of Ford F-250 listings) and the BIG HORN/LONESTAR ($43,973, 27.9% of Ram 1500 listings); at the top of the market, the PLATINUM ($90,129) faces the LIMITED ($53,500). 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.