Sam Fisher
Banned
"The good old days of my childhood during the 1950's and 1960's."
Then and Now: 1955 to 2010
1. Then and Now 1955 to 2010 Or How in the world did college get so expensive?
2. According to the US Census Bureau the average salary in 1955 was $4,418.
3. The national average wage for 2010 was $41,674. That is an increase of 843% over 55 years.
4. In 1955 a week of groceries for a family of four cost $10.
5. In 2010 it cost $150. An increase of 1400%
6. According to AAA the average miles driven a year in 1955 was 10,000 at a operating cost of 9 cents per mile. ($900/yr)
7. According to AAA the average miles driven a year in 2010 was 15,000 at a operating cost of 57.3 cents per mile. ($8,588/yr)
8. The average price for a vehicle in 1955 was roughly $2000.
9. The average price for a mid-sized passenger vehicle in 2010 was $29,817. An increase of 1,390%
10. In 1955, gasoline was 27 cents a gallon.
11. In 2010 average price for a gallon of fuel was $3.23. An increase of 1,096%
12. In 1955 a pack of cigarettes was 20 cents a pack.
13. In 2010 a pack of cigarettes cost $5 per pack. An increase of 2,400%
14. In 1955 the minimum wage was 75 cents an hour.
15. In 2010 the minimum wage was $8.25 an hour. An increase of 1,000%
16. In 1955 it costs 3 cents to mail a letter.
17. In 2010 it cost 44 cents. An increase of 1,366%
18. In 1955 a 19” screen color TV console cost $1,000.
19. In 2010 a 42” LED, HDTV cost $500.
20. To fly from Atlanta to New York in 1955 would cost around $100 for coach.
21. In 2010 to fly from Atlanta to New York cost roughly $300. A 200% increase.
22. The average new home price in 1955 was $15,200.
23. The average new home price in 2010 was $213,900.
24. In 1955 tuition and fees to attend one year at a public college was $198.
25. In 2010 tuition and fees to attend one year at a public college was $10,800. An increase of 5,300%.
26. In 1955, Baseball MVP Mickey Mantle had a $33,000 salary. Roughly seven times the national average wage.
27. In 2011 Albert Pujols signed a contract for $240 million for Roughly 577 times the national average wage.
28. If gasoline increased this much since 1955 we’d be paying $196/gal. Cigarettes would be $145.20 per pack. And if minimum wage increased this much it would be $544 a pack.
29. It begs the question: Why does the America public willingly pay for such disparity in college tuition and athlete salaries, while we scream at a 20 cents/gal increase at the pump?
30. In 1955 television reception was free, unemployment was 5%. The top hit of the year was Rock Around the Clock, and the Academy recipient for best picture was On the Waterfront.
Were we better off Then or Now?
economy.RussellWhite.com © 2012
Then and Now: 1955 to 2010
1. Then and Now 1955 to 2010 Or How in the world did college get so expensive?
2. According to the US Census Bureau the average salary in 1955 was $4,418.
3. The national average wage for 2010 was $41,674. That is an increase of 843% over 55 years.
4. In 1955 a week of groceries for a family of four cost $10.
5. In 2010 it cost $150. An increase of 1400%
6. According to AAA the average miles driven a year in 1955 was 10,000 at a operating cost of 9 cents per mile. ($900/yr)
7. According to AAA the average miles driven a year in 2010 was 15,000 at a operating cost of 57.3 cents per mile. ($8,588/yr)
8. The average price for a vehicle in 1955 was roughly $2000.
9. The average price for a mid-sized passenger vehicle in 2010 was $29,817. An increase of 1,390%
10. In 1955, gasoline was 27 cents a gallon.
11. In 2010 average price for a gallon of fuel was $3.23. An increase of 1,096%
12. In 1955 a pack of cigarettes was 20 cents a pack.
13. In 2010 a pack of cigarettes cost $5 per pack. An increase of 2,400%
14. In 1955 the minimum wage was 75 cents an hour.
15. In 2010 the minimum wage was $8.25 an hour. An increase of 1,000%
16. In 1955 it costs 3 cents to mail a letter.
17. In 2010 it cost 44 cents. An increase of 1,366%
18. In 1955 a 19” screen color TV console cost $1,000.
19. In 2010 a 42” LED, HDTV cost $500.
20. To fly from Atlanta to New York in 1955 would cost around $100 for coach.
21. In 2010 to fly from Atlanta to New York cost roughly $300. A 200% increase.
22. The average new home price in 1955 was $15,200.
23. The average new home price in 2010 was $213,900.
24. In 1955 tuition and fees to attend one year at a public college was $198.
25. In 2010 tuition and fees to attend one year at a public college was $10,800. An increase of 5,300%.
26. In 1955, Baseball MVP Mickey Mantle had a $33,000 salary. Roughly seven times the national average wage.
27. In 2011 Albert Pujols signed a contract for $240 million for Roughly 577 times the national average wage.
28. If gasoline increased this much since 1955 we’d be paying $196/gal. Cigarettes would be $145.20 per pack. And if minimum wage increased this much it would be $544 a pack.
29. It begs the question: Why does the America public willingly pay for such disparity in college tuition and athlete salaries, while we scream at a 20 cents/gal increase at the pump?
30. In 1955 television reception was free, unemployment was 5%. The top hit of the year was Rock Around the Clock, and the Academy recipient for best picture was On the Waterfront.
Were we better off Then or Now?
economy.RussellWhite.com © 2012
