Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Depreciation & Resale Value

The 2020 Silverado 1500 is our best all-around value pick. It belongs to the fourth generation introduced for 2019, yet its all-trim median ask is $3,885 more than the 2019 and average mileage is about 13,597 miles lower. That is a strong search signal, not a universal verdict. Match engine, cab, bed, drivetrain, axle, trim, packages, mileage, and prior use. A well-documented 2019 or cleaner 2021 can still be the better truck after inspection and negotiation.

Start with a 2017 LT or LTZ. Its current median ask is about $21,789, with average mileage near 113,783. LT provides the practical equipment baseline; LTZ can make sense when its comfort features and condition justify the premium. At this age, prioritize service records, frame and underbody condition, drivetrain behavior, tires, brakes, collision repair, modifications, and evidence of towing or commercial use.

The current data says 2020 deserves the first look. Its median ask is $3,885 more than 2019 and its sample averages about 13,597 fewer miles. Both use the fourth-generation architecture, making this more useful than a cross-generation comparison. The average still mixes body styles, engines, drivetrains, and trims. Match the complete configuration and original equipment, then let maintenance, inspection, capability, and out-the-door price choose the specific truck.

Price 2025 first. Its current median ask is only $1,809 more than 2024 while average mileage is about 16,646 miles lower. That combination favors the newer year, but trim and configuration mix can distort both medians. Compare the same engine, cab, bed, drivetrain, and trim, then include dealer fees, incentives, financing, warranty start date, and any new-truck alternative. A heavily discounted or better-equipped 2024 can still deliver the stronger complete transaction.

The blended dataset cannot establish that fairly. Diesel listings differ in model year, trim, original price, towing use, mileage, and maintenance from the gas inventory. Compare same-year trucks with the same cab, bed, drivetrain, equipment, condition, and similar original MSRP. Then include fuel prices, expected annual mileage, emissions-system service, towing needs, maintenance, and purchase premium. A powertrain can be the right ownership choice without being a universal resale winner, and the specific truck's history remains more important than a mixed average.

Start by proving that the trucks perform the same job. Record model year, engine, transmission, cab, bed, drivetrain, axle ratio, door-jamb payload, trailering equipment, trim, packages, mileage, use history, accident history, tires, and modifications. Retrieve the original window sticker or build data because an LT, RST, LTZ, High Country, Trail Boss, or ZR2 badge does not reveal every capability option. Keep diesel, gas, conventional, and off-road configurations in separate comparison sets. Inspect the hitch, bed, frame, underbody, suspension, cooling system, leaks, body repair, corrosion, and tire wear, then estimate immediate work in dollars. Compare asking price only after those differences are visible. Add taxes, dealer products, financing, warranty timing, and any new-truck incentive to reach an out-the-door figure. A truck that is advertised for less but lacks the required payload, cab, bed, or towing hardware is not the lower-cost choice once replacement or compromise enters the calculation. When a seller cannot document the build or explain modifications, price the uncertainty as risk and keep an equivalent unmodified truck in the comparison. Insurance quotes can also differ by trim, engine, and use, so obtain them before treating two monthly payments as equivalent.

14.4% of Silverado 1500 listings in this dataset exceed 100,000 miles, while trucks at 120,000 miles or more have a median ask around $22,269. That describes current inventory, not the probability of reaching a mileage target. A high-mileage truck can make sense with complete records, a clean frame and structural inspection, and enough discount for near-term work. Inspect drivetrain behavior, cooling, leaks, tires, suspension, brakes, towing wear, modifications, and corrosion.

Our mileage-adjusted fitted curve estimates about 36.4% depreciation after five years, leaving roughly 63.6% of original value. The estimate uses 1,324 current listings and a common asking-to-sale adjustment. It is a nameplate-level path, not a VIN appraisal. Engine, cab, bed, drivetrain, axle, packages, trim, original price, mileage, condition, prior use, and local truck demand can all move the result. Estimate dollar loss from the exact configuration and price you negotiate.