Prices and Wages by Decade: 1950-1959

• Part-time job wages for women, by occupation, ca. 1950
  Shows hourly pay for the most common part-time jobs occupied by women.  Includes jobs such as waitress, librarian, nurse, social worker, teacher, clerical and more.  Source:  U.S. Women's Bureau Bulletin #238 (1951).
• Women's income, wages, and salaries
  See chapter of this title in the 1952 Handbook of facts on women workers, including:
  • Income of women by year, age group, family relationship, and occupation (p.30-34)
  • Factors influencing women's earnings (p.35)
  • Factory production worker earnings (p. 36-41)
  • Service worker earnings including laundries, restaurants and hotels (p. 42-47)
  • White-collar worker earnings including office occupations, department stores, teachers, nurses, and social workers (p. 48-57)
  • Women receiving Social Security old-age and survivor benefits (p. 58-59)

• Wage by occupation and sex in 17 cities, 1953-54
  Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin #1173.
• Women's income, earnings, family support, 1952-1953
  The chapter by this title in the 1954 Handbook on women workers (p.21-36) contains wage data for selected occupations:
  • Clerical workers and telephone operators
  • School teachers
  • Professional nurses
  • Factory workers
  • Laundry workers

• Physical sciences - Women's salaries, 1954-1958
  Chapters in this booklet review earnings for women chemists, geologists, physicists, astronomers and meteorologists, plus there is a table that lists the median salary in 1954-1955 for women in each of these occupations.
• 1956 Handbook on women workers
  The chapter "Women's income and earnings" (p.29-48) contains earnings of women in select occupations in 1954-1955:
  • Office occupations, telephone operators, library workers, and school teachers
  • Professional nurses, practical nurses, and building cleaners
  • Factory workers
  • Power laundries and dry cleaning
  • Elevator operators

• Physical sciences - Women's salaries, 1954-1958
  Chapters in this booklet review earnings for women chemists, geologists, physicists, astronomers and meteorologists, plus there is a table that lists the median salary in 1954-1955 for women in each of these occupations.
• Clerical positions, average starting salaries in major cities, 1957-1958
  Table 3 shows weekly entrance salaries for women hired as typists and other entrance clerical positions in selected major labor markets, 1957–58. See also salaries for women employed as secretaries and stenographers, 1957-1958. Source: 1959 Occupational Outlook Handbook.
• 1958 Handbook on women workers
  The chapter "Women's income and earnings" (p.51-86) includes income data and average earnings by occupations for 1956-1957:
  Navy nurse pay
  started at $222.30
  per month in 1956
  • Office occupations, telephone workers, and school teachers
  • Factory and manufacturing workers
  • Retail trade
  • Registered nurses, practical nurses and hospital aides, and other hospital professionals
  • Federal employees
  • Also discusses the effects of the $1 minimum wage on women's earnings, wages of women in small towns, and starting salaries of recent college graduates

• Median income by occupation for females, 1959
  Source: 1960 U.S. Census, pp. 306-315.
• Median income by occupation for males, 1959
  Source: 1960 U.S. Census, pp. 296-305.
• Women's income and earnings 
  The chapter by this title in the 1960 Handbook on women workers (p.57-89) contains data  for 1957-1959:
  • Census data on the 1958 income of women (p.58-63)
  • Non wage income, such as retirement and investment income
  • Earnings of women workers by occupation (p.64-84)
    • Office and telephone workers earnings
    • Manufacturing earnings
    • Retail earnings
    • School teacher salaries
    • Registered nurses salaries
    • Federal employee salaries

• Accountants
  • Accountant earnings, 1950s
    Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959, pp. 179-181. 
  • Accountants, public - 1951 and 1953
    Shows data gleaned from IRS tax returns of sole proprietors offering bookkeeping, auditing and accounting services.
  • Accountants in state government - Average monthly pay, 1950
    Covers AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, NE, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of State Employees, p. 26.
  • Accountants and auditors - Average salary, 1959-1960
    Shows national averages. Source: Monthly Labor Review, Dec 1960.
  • Accounting - Annual salary, 1953
    Source: Kiplinger Magazine's Changing Times
• Actors' pay - Off-Broadway, 1950s
  Source: "Financial aspects...," chap. 7 in Off-Broadway theater by Julia S. Price (1962)
• Agriculture -- SEE "Farming" tab above
• Apparel and shoe store employee earnings,1956
  U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 1220-5
• Architect salary, 1953
  Source: Kiplinger Magazine's Changing Times
• Automotive sales and gasoline service stations - Employee earnings, 1956
  Source: BLS Bulletin no. 1220-4

• Baking industry wages - 1950
  Shows the average union rate wages of different baking professions throughout the United States. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Feb 1951.
• Building trades - Union wages for 40+ occupations in 77 cities 
  Reports pay for carpenters, bricklayers, plumbers, plasterers and related occupations for 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957. Source: Union wages and hours: building trades.

• Car sales and gasoline service stations - Employee earnings, 1956
  Source: BLS Bulletin no. 1220-4
• Carpenters -- SEE "Building Trades"
• Chemistry - Monthly salary, 1953
  Source: Kiplinger Magazine's Changing Times
• Chemists in state government - Salaries, 1950
  Shows weighted average monthly salaries for chemists employed by these state governments: AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, NE, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of state employees.
• Child welfare consultants - Salaries, 1950
  Shows weighted average monthly salaries for child welfare consultants employed by these state governments: AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, NE, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of state employees.
• Clay industry wages by occupation, 1951
  Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Jan 1955.
• Clergy earnings, 1950s
  Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959, pp. 157-163. 
• College professor earnings, 1957-58
  Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959, p. 49.
• Communication wages - 1950
  Shows the average hourly wage rates for Class A interstate telephone carriers, Western Union, and and principal telegraph carriers. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Sep 1951.
• Congressional salaries

• Dental profession
  • Dental hygienists - Earnings, 1953
    Source: Health manpower source book
  • Dentists - Median income, 1950-1952
    Source: Health manpower source book
  • Dentists, office-based non-salaried - Earnings, 1951 and 1955
    Source: Study of physicians' fees: staff report
• Distillery employee wages - 1952.  Source: BLS Monthly labor review.
• Doctors
  • Doctors, medical - Income, 1959
    Shows median net income for all medical doctors, and for particular specialties: surgeons, obstetricians/gynecologists, internists, general practitioners and pediatricians.
  • Physicians, family - Salary, 1955
    Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959 ed.
  • Physicians salary, 1953
    Shows average earnings of physicians, general practitioners and specialists. Source: Kiplinger's. 
  • Physicians, office-based non-salaried - Earnings, 1951 and 1955
    Source: Study of physicians' fees: staff report
• Drug store clerks - Average earnings, 1956
  Shows non-supervisory employees' earnings by sex and by size of community. Source: BLS Bulletin no. 1220-7

• Economist earnings, 1950s
  Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959 ed., pp. 148-150. 
• Education, college -- Salaries, 1959-1960
  Covers the salaries paid to teachers, professors and administrators in degree-granting institutions and junior colleges. The library has additional data from 1957-1964 in print format (not yet scanned.) Contact us for a lookup.
• Education - Teacher salaries in southern states by race, 1951-1952
  Shows average salary for instructional staff in elementary and secondary schools, by race. Breakouts by state: AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MD, MS, NC, SC, TX, VA, DC.
• Education - Instructional staff salaries by state, 1952-1953
  Table 22, column 7 shows average annual salary for instructional staff in elementary and secondary schools. Instructional staff include principals, supervisors, classroom teachers, etc. Find similar data for other years by checking other volumes in this source: Biennial Survey of Education.
• Electricians -- SEE Building trades
• Engineers
  • Engineering salaries, 1953
    Source: Kiplinger Magazine's Changing Times
  • Engineer earnings, 1950s 
    Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959 ed., pp. 98-111. 
  • Engineers - Median annual income by field, age and education, 1949-1950
    Source: U.S. Dept of Labor report.
  • Engineers - Average salary, 1959-1960
    Shows average salary by grade. Source: Monthly Labor Review, Dec 1960 issue.

• F.B.I. agent earnings, 1950s
• Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959 ed., pp. 254-255.
• Firefighters
  • Firemen earnings, 1950s
    Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959, pp. 255-258.
  • Firefighters' salaries by city size, 1954
    Shows average annual salaries for firemen working in cities of various sizes, from 100,000 to 1 million population.
• Fishermen - Boston, 1951
  Shows the average annual earnings. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, June 1952.
• Food and grocery stores - Employee earnings, 1956
  Source: BLS Bulletin no. 1220-3
• Footwear manufacturing wages - 1950
  Shows the average union rate wages of different manufacturing wages in footwear factories throughout the United States. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Mar 1951.
• Furniture and appliance stores - Employee earnings, 1956
  Source: BLS Bulletin no. 1220-6

"It is a paradox that most hired farm workers are not regularly engaged in farming. Only 1 in 6 may be considered a regular hired farm worker. The remainder are seasonal." Source: Farm labor fact book (1959), U.S. Dept of Agriculture.

• Farm labor wages
  • By geographical division, with and without board
    1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959
    Source: USDA Agricultural Statistics. 
  • Farm labor (seasonal hires) - Wages by state, 1954
    Source: Farm labor market developments Appendix B, pp. 7-11
  • Farm labor wages, 1950s
    Source: USDA publication Farm Labor. Use the "Filter by date" feature or access issues through the HathiTrust digital library.
  • Farm wages for migrants - 1959
    Shows the average daily and weekly wages of migrants working in New York farming. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Apr 1961.
• Farm equipment dealers - Employee earnings, 1956
  Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 1220-1.

• Gas station owner earnings, 1954
  Expenses, income, earnings and profit for gas station owners.  Source: Kiplinger's magazine, Feb 1954, pp. 37-40.
• Gasoline service stations - Employee earnings, 1956
  Source: BLS Bulletin no. 1220-4.
• Geologists in state government - Salaries, 1950
  Shows weighted average monthly salaries for geologists employed by states: AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of state employees.
• Government (state) officials' salaries - 1950
  Compares salaries of executive agency heads with state government elected officials in AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, NE, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of state employees, pp. 46-68.
• Government (county) salaries in Missouri, early 1950s
  Shows salaries for prosecuting attorneys, county court judges, magistrates, clerks of circuit courts, recorders of deeds, county clerks, sheriffs, collectors of revenue, county assessors, county treasurers, county coroners, and superintendents of schools in Missouri.

• Hospital personnel, earnings by occupation
  • Earnings by occupation and city, 1957-1958
    Shows earnings for hospital employees in 16 major U.S. cities. Source: Industry wage survey: hospitals.
  • Earnings by occupation, 1958.  Source: U.S. Women's Bureau.
• Medical records librarian salaries, 1956-1959.  Source: Occupational outlook handbook.
• Occupational therapist salaries, 1958.  Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959 ed.
• Optometrist earnings, 1953.  Source: Kiplinger's.

SEE ALSO additional health professions under respective tabs above, for example "D" for Doctors.

• Highway patrolmen - Salaries, 1950
  Shows weighted average monthly salaries for highway patrolmen employed by these state governments: AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, NE, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of state employees.
• Hotel employee earnings, 1950s
  Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959, pp. 565-575.

• Leatherwork wages - 1954
  Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Feb 1955.
• Librarians in state government - Salaries, 1950
  Shows weighted average monthly salaries for librarians employed by these state governments: AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, NE, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of state employees.

• Lawyers' income with breakouts, 1947-1954
• With breakouts by state, by size of law firm, size of  community served, age of lawyer, years of experience, type of clientele, and more. Source: "Income of Lawyers in the Postwar Period," Survey of Current Business, Dec 1956, pp. 26-36.
• Lawyer earnings, 1950s
  Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959, pp. 197-200. 
• Attorneys - Average salary, 1959-1960
  Shows national averages. Source: Monthly Labor Review, Dec 1960 issue.
• State government attorney salaries, 1950
  Shows weighted average monthly salaries for attorneys employed by the states of AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, NE, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of State Employees.

• Machinery industries - Postwar wage trends, 1953-54
  Survey of 20 labor markets. BLS Bulletin no. 1160
• Manufacturing See box below for manufacturing wages by industry.
• Mechanic and repairman earnings, 1950s
  Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959, pp. 352-385.
• Medical personnel - Physician, dentist and other health workers' salaries, 1951 and 1955
  Median net income of office-based nonsalaried physicians, dentists and male professional workers in health professions. 
• Medical social worker salaries, 1950
  Median annual salaries of medical social workers reported in Health Manpower Source Book (U.S Dept of Health, Education and Welfare)
• Medicine - Yearly salary, 1953
  Source: Kiplinger Magazine's Changing Times
• Military jobs -
  • Army pay tables, 1950 are on pages 1391-1410 of this source.
  • Army pay tables, 1952 are on pages 1731-1750 of this source.
  • Army pay tables, 1956 are on pages 575-586 in this source.
  • Army pay tables, 1959 are on pages 1287-1301 of this source.
• Military pay charts (US), 1908-present
  This website but it does a good job of organizing a complex topic.
• Truck driver wages - 1950
  Shows the average union rate wages of motortruck driver and their helpers throughout the United States. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Jan 1951.

• Nurses, registered
  • 1950 - Public health nurse salaries in  AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, NE, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of State Employees.
  • 1956-1958 - Salaries by type of nurse, years of experience, etc.  Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959 ed.
• Oil-field workers -  Average wages, 1951
  Source: BLS Monthly labor review, June 1952.
• Optometrist salary, 1953
  Source: Kiplinger Magazine's Changing Times.

• Petroleum refinery wages, 1951. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, June 1952.
• Pharmacist salary, 1958-1959
• Physical therapists, 1958.  Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959 ed.
• Playwright royalties, 1959.  Source: Dramatists Guild.
• Plumbers -- SEE Building Trades
• Police departments - Patrolmens' salaries by city size, 1954
• Policeman earnings, 1950s
  Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959, pp. 258-261.
• Printing trades jobs - Union wages and hours
• Psychology - Yearly salary, 1957. Source: Kiplinger's.

• Railroad employee earnings, 1950s
  Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959, pp. 664-689.
• Restaurant employee earnings, 1950s
  Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959, pp. 690-698.
• Restaurant owner earnings, 1957
  Guide explains the economics of restaurant profit, based on sales.  Source: Establishing and operating a restaurant, pp. 6-7.
• Retail salaries by occupation - 1953
  Source: Kiplinger Magazine's Changing Times
• Retail trade jobs - Employee earnings, 1956
  Source: BLS Bulletin #1220.
• Retail trade - Employee earnings, 1956
  Covers wages for employees in general merchandise stores, department stores, and variety stores. Source: BLS Bulletin #1220-2.
• Retail store jobs selling apparel, accessory and shoes - Employee earnings,1956
  U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Bulletin no. 1220-5
• Roofers -- SEE Building Trades

• Sales earnings, 1950s
  Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959, pp. 239-238.
• Sawmill wages - 1952
  Shows the average hourly wage rates at various sawmills in the West Coast. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Mar 1953.
• Seamen on U.S. flag ships - Earnings
  Source: BLS Bulletin no. 1238
• Secretary, stenographer, and typist earnings, 1950s
  Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959 ed., p. 237.
• Social workers
  • SEE ALSO Child Welfare Consultants in this list.
  • Social workers employed in hospital settings - Salaries, 1950
    Source: Health Manpower Source Book (U.S Dept of H.E.W.)
• Statistician earnings, 1950s
  Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959, pp. 220-223. 

• Teachers - Average annual salaries of instructional staff in elementary and secondary schools, 1950 and 1959.  Source: Statistics of state school systems. 
• Teaching earnings, 1950s
  Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959, pp. 40-52. 
• Telephone company workers - Average pay by occupation 1959
  Includes operators, linemen, mechanics and more.
• Telephone operators in state government - Salaries, 1950
  Shows weighted average monthly salaries for telephone operators. Source: Salaries of state employees.
• Theatrical productions, late 1950s - Pay by occupation
  Source: "The Financial aspects...," Chapter 7 in Off-Broadway theater by Julia S. Price
• Transit (local) - Union wages by city 
  Shows hourly wage rates for bus drivers, subway employees, trolley workers, employees of elevated rail transit, commuter rail and other public transportation systems for 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956 and 1957 / 1958.
• Tobacco manufacturing wages - 1951
  Shows the average hourly wage rates of different occupations in tobacco manufacturing throughout the United States. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Dec 1951.
• Truck drivers and helpers - Union wages and hours
  Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin.

• Utilities plants wages - 1950
  Shows the average hourly wage rates of different occupations at electric and gas plants throughout the United States. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, June 1951.
• Veterinarians - Salary and earnings
  • 1953.  Source: Kiplinger Magazine's Changing Times
  • 1955-1958.  Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959 ed.
• X-ray technician salaries  
  • 1951-1952.  With breakouts by years of experience, type of employer, sex, etc.  Source: Women's Bureau Bulletin #203-8, pp. 17-20.
  • 1957. Source: Occupational outlook handbook, 1959 ed.

WAGES in FOOD MANUFACTURING, 1950s

WAGES in MOTOR-VEHICLE MANUFACTURING, 1950s

• Birmingham, Alabama
  • April 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1107)
  • January 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-10)

• Phoenix, Arizona
  • March 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1103)

• Wages in California towns, 1952
  Sourced from Community Labor Market Surveys conducted by the California Department of employment, this book includes wages for common occupations in about 100 towns, including the following (and more):
  • Bakersfield, Berkeley, Fresno, Hollywood, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Modesto, Monterey, Napa, Oakland, Oceanside, Palo Alto, Pasadena, Pomona, Sacramento, San Bernadino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Luis Obispo, Santa Ana, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Santa Monica, Stockton, Ukiah, Van Nuys, Ventura.
• Los Angeles, California
  • January 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1094)
  • February 1953 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-14)
  • March 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-12)
• Los Angeles-Long Beach, California
  • March 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-13)
  • March 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-11)
  • March 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-13)
  • March 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-15)
• San Bernardino-Riverside-Ontario, California
  • November 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-15)
• San Francisco-Oakland, California
  • January 1950 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 996)
  • January 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1028)
  • January 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1076)
  • January 1953 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-9)
  • December 1954 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-7)
  • January 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-7)
  • January 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-8)
  • January 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-8)
  • January 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-13)

• Denver, Colorado
  • November 1949 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 985)
  • January 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1029)
  • November 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1066)
  • November 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-8)
  • December 1954 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-6)
  • December 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-6)
  • December 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-7)
  • December 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-7)
  • December 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-11)

• Bridgeport, Connecticut
  • June 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1044)
• Hartford, Connecticut
  • October 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1059)

• Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia
  • December 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-18)

• Jacksonville, Florida
  • May 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1110)
  • December 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-14)
• Miami, Florida
  • December 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-6)

• Atlanta, Georgia
  • March 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1031)
  • March 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1102)
  • March 1953 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-18)
  • March 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-11)
  • April 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-18)
  • April 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-16)
  • May 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-17)
  • May 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-19)

• Chicago, Illinois
  • April 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1034)
  • March 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1105)
  • March 1953 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-15)
  • April 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-14)
  • April 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-15)
  • April 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-15)
  • April 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-14)
  • April 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-18)

• Indianapolis, Indiana
  • December 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1075)

• Louisville, Kentucky
  • May 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1112)

• New Orleans, Louisiana
  • December 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1074)
  • November 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-5)
  • February 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-11)
  • February 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-14)
• Negro employment in three companies in the New Orleans area
  • September 1955 article in the Monthly Labor Review, pp. 1020-2023
    Describes wage and promotion policies for Black workers, but does not list wages.

• Portland, Maine
  • November 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-12)

• Baltimore, Maryland
  • June 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1045)
  • October 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-6)
  • April 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-15)
  • August 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-3)
  • August 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-2)
  • September 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-7)
• Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia
  • December 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-18)

• Boston, Massachusetts
  • March 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1033)
  • April 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1106)
  • March 1953 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-17)
  • April 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-17)
  • September 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-4)
  • September 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-2)
  • October 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-6)
  • October 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-8)
• Lawrence, Massachusetts
  • February 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-11)
  • May 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-21)
• Worcester, Massachusetts
  • January 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1077)

• Detroit, Michigan
  • December 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1086)
  • October 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-2)
  • January 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-12)

• Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
  • November 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1068)
  • November 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-7)
  • November 1954 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-5)
  • December 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-8)
  • March 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-14)
  • January 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-10)
  • January 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-11)

• Kansas City, Missouri
  • October 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1064)
  • October 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-4)
  • December 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-6)
• St. Louis, Missouri
  • January 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1095)
  • December 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-12)
  • February 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-10)
  • February 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-9)
  • November 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-5)
  • October 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-4)
  • October 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-5)
• Salaries of Missouri state employees, 1953
  • Legislative report shows salaries by occupation as of October 1953. For example:
    • Attorney General, state Auditor, and more
    • Judges, court clerks and more
    • Governor, highway patrol officers and more
    • Highway patrolmen and more
    • Secretary of State, state Treasurer and more
    • Staff positions including clerks, stenographers, typists, accountants, janitors, maintenance men and more, by department
      • Dept of Agriculture employee earnings
      • Dept of Business and Administration employee earnings
      • Highway Dept employee earnings
      • Similar information is provided for all other Missouri state agencies.

Average weekly and hourly earnings for employees in manufacturing jobs, for each year from 1950-1959 provided in Payroll progress in Mississippi, 1939-1959; a study of wage and salary employment.  Tables extend from pages 86-107.  This is a publication of the Mississippi Employment Security Commission.

• Newark-Jersey City, New Jersey
  • November 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1081)
  • November 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-11)
  • December 1954 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-8)
  • December 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-10)
  • December 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-12)
  • December 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-9)
• Trenton, New Jersey
  • March 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1104)

• Albany-Schenectady-Troy, New York
  • March 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1108)
• Buffalo, New York
  • January 1950 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 991)
  • January 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1085)
  • April 1953 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-20)
  • September 1954 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-1)
  • September 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-2)
  • September 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-3)
  • October 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-4)
• New York, New York
  • April 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1037)
  • January 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1101)
  • February 1953 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-16)
  • March 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-13)
  • April 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-17)
  • April 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-17)
  • April 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-15)
  • April 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-17)
• Rochester, New York
  • January 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1087)

• Canton, Ohio
  • December 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-10)
• Cincinnati, Ohio
  • February 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1096)
• Cleveland, Ohio
  • October 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1056)
  • October 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-3)
  • October 1954 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-2)
  • October 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-3)
  • June 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-19)
  • September 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-1)
• Columbus, Ohio
  • April 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1109)
• Dayton, Ohio
  • June 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1041)
  • December 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-9)

• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • October 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1070)

• Portland, Oregon
  • June 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1042)
  • September 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-2)
  • April 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-16)
  • April 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-16)
  • April 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-12)
  • April 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-16)
  • April 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-20)

• Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, Pennsylvania
  • May 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1111)
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • May 1950 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1008)
  • October 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1060)
  • October 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-5)
  • November 1954 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-4)
  • November 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-4)
  • November 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-7)
  • October 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-6)
  • November 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-8)
  • November 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-16)
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • November 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1082)
  • December 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-9)
  • December 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-20)
• Scranton, Pennsylvania
  • December 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1078)

• Providence, Rhode Island
  • December 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1071)
  • December 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-10)
  • March 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-14)

• Memphis, Tennessee
  • November 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1067)
  • January 1953 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-13)
  • February 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-9)
  • February 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-12)
  • February 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-13)
  • January 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-9)
  • January 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-10)

• Dallas, Texas
  • June 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1043)
  • August 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-1)
  • September 1954 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-3)
  • October 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-1)
  • October 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-5)
  • October 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-4)
  • October 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-5)
  • October 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-3)
• Fort Worth, Texas
  • November 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-13)
• Houston, Texas
  • January 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1084)

Texas public school teacher salaries

• 1952-1953 as shown in the Texas Almanac, 1954-1955 edition, p. 406.

• Salt Lake City, Utah
  • December 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1069)

• Norfolk-Portsmouth, Virginia
  • February 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1088)
• Richmond, Virginia
  • October 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1058)
• Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia
  • December 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-18)

• Seattle, Washington
  • September 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1057)
  • August 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-1)
  • August 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-1)
  • August 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-1)
  • August 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-2)

• Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • March 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1099)
  • April 1953 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-19)
  • November 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-3)
  • May 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-18)
  • April 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-16)

• Restaurant meal prices by state, 1959 

  Restaurant directory is arranged by state and cities. Indicates price ranges for breakfast, lunch or dinner at thousands of establishments. Source: Adventures in good eating: good eating places along the highways and in the cities of America.

• Median gross rent by state, 1940-2000 

  Gross rent is defined as "the monthly amount of rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water and sewer) and fuels (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). This source shows data by state and for the U.S. as a whole. Source: U.S. Census of Housing, choose unadjusted figures.

• Median rent by state, 1950 

  Source: 1950 U.S. Census of Housing. See definitions of contract and gross rent.

• Rent by metro area, 1950 

  Volume 2 of this source shows rent by Standard Metropolitan Areas (SMAs) for number of rooms, type of heat, presence of plumbing, and by characteristics of the people living in the structures (income, race, etc.) Part 2 has SMAs alphabetically listed from A-D, Part 3 shows D-M, Part 4 is M-S and Part 5 has S-Y. See complete list of SMAs included. For even more detail, see median rent and home values by census tract in major cities.

• Farm real estate - Average value by state and county, 1950

  Shows average value for farm land and buildings from 1850-1982. Use the following hyperlinks to see values for AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY. See data considerations for explanation. Source: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture report.

• Farm and farmland values by state, 1950

  Shows average farmland value by acre, and the average value of farms (both land and buildings), by state. The USDA definition of a farm is provided on page 2.

• Farm real estate values in Midwestern states, 1912-2019

  Includes both land and buildings. Compares to national averages. Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.

• Telephone service 
  • 1950-1980 - Average monthly charge for residential service
  • 1947-1954 - Average monthly bill in rural areas
  • 1958 - rates in New York City
• Electricity - Average monthly bills
  • 1955, by city
  • 1958, by city
  • 1959 for states and national average
  • 1959 for cities with populations over 2,500.
  • 1959-1988 by customer type (residential, commercial)
• Natural gas - Average monthly bills, 1955
  Shows data for 20 American cities.
• Coal prices for residential heating by city, 1955
  Shows data for 20 American cities.
• Heating fuel prices paid by farmers, 1910-1960
  Shows price of coal and wood for household operation. Source: USDA.

• Price of gasoline, 1949-2011
  "Nominal price" was the price paid by the consumer at the time of the transaction. This table shows the nominal price of leaded regular gasoline from 1949-1990. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration.
• Gasoline prices by city in 1951, 1958, 1959, 1960
  Gas prices and taxes in 62 cities. Source: American Petroleum Institute.
• Gasoline prices paid by farmers (U.S. average), 1951-1954
  Also tells prices for motor oil, batteries, etc. Source: USDA Agricultural Statistics, 1955.
• Gasoline prices paid by farmers, 1954-1959
  Gives nationwide averages for 1954-1958, and state breakouts for the year 1959. Scroll forward in the source for prices of additional auto supplies and expenses.
• Gasoline prices in major cities - 1955
  Also shows gasoline taxes for each city.
• Gasoline, tractor fuel and oil prices paid by farmers, 1951 and 1961
  Source: Congressional hearing titled Farm Cost-Price Squeeze, 1961, p. 147.

• Railroad passenger ticket prices, 1950s-1960s
  See fare tables from a variety of railway companies scanned and available on the "Welcome to the Ticket Office" page on the StreamlinerSchedules.com website.
• Intercity bus fares averaged 2¢/mile in 1955.
  Bus and streetcar fares (local transit) - 1955
  Reports fares by the ride for twenty different U.S. cities.  Source: U.S. BLS.
• Greyhound bus fares
  • from Seattle, 1950
  • from Washington DC, 1954.
    See also fares in summer 1955.
  • from Key West, 1954

• Cleveland to Miami airfare, $75 in 1952
  Air travel - Average fare in cents per mile, 1946-1966
  Airfare rates were published in Forecast of scheduled domestic air passenger traffic for the eleven trunkline carriers, 1968-1977, U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board.
• Air fares, 1950s
  Many airlines' timetables listed passenger fares, usually after the flight schedules.  Contact us if you need assistance.
• Sample airfares from newspaper ads:
  • Washington DC to Chicago in 1956 and to other cities in 1954
  • North Carolina to Florida in 1955
  • Alaska to Scandinavia in 1954

• Travel guide for African Americans, 1947-1963
  Subtitled "Vacation and recreation without humiliation," the Travelguide series listed hotels and travel attractions that were friendly to African American vacationers.  Prices listed throughout.
• Travelguides for African-Americans listed hotel rates
  The Green Book, 1936-1966
  Also called The Negro Motorist Green-Book, this series was founded by New York post worker Victor Hugo Green, lending the series its nickname as a “green” book in addition to the green coloring of its covers. The book shows known locations in every major U.S. that were safe for African-American families to stay, eat, buy gasoline, and other services. For more on this series, see the NYPL's catalog listing.
  • For example, this section on a trip to Washington D.C. shows visitors could be admitted to Mount Vernon for 25 cents or participate in many free museums. 
• Budget vacations with costs itemized, 1955
  The book 150 Budget Vacations from $100 to $1,000 shows hotel rates, transportation costs, ticket prices to attractions, etc.
• Vacation accommodations, 1953
  Travel guidebook lists rates for cabins, cottages, guest ranches, resorts, etc. by state. Source: Vacation guide by Duncan Hines.
• Hotel rates by state and city, 1959
  The travel guidebook New Horizons U.S.A. had a section for price of accommodations in each city, showing rates as of 1959.

Comparison of costs for a family of four to travel by car, bus, rail and air, factoring in meals, lodging, toll roads and more. Source: Kiplinger personal finance, June 1955, pp. 30-33.

• Chicago to New York
• Chicago to Los Angeles

• Hospital and physician service rates, 1958
  Shows the cost to have a baby, or an appendectomy, tonsillectomy.  Shows average daily cost for a hospital room, for physician office visit or house call, and cost to get a dental filling. Source: U.S. BLS data cited by the Health Insurance Institute.
• Medical services - Average costs, 1958
  Shows the average rates for hospital rooms, doctor visits, house calls, and the average costs for obstetrical cases, appendectomies, tonsillectomies, and tooth fillings in 20 American cities. Source: 1960 Statistical Abstract, p. 339.
• Medical services - Average costs, 1959
  Source: 1961 Statistical Abstract of the U.S., p. 341.
• Medicines and medical care costs, 1955
  Prices of a doctor office visit or house call, obstetrical care, appendectomy and tonsillectomy. 
• Prescription prices, 1955
  Average prices of narcotics and penicillin.  Source: U.S. BLS.
• Eyeglasses prices, 1955
• Eyeglasses prices, 1957
  Source: U.S. BLS cited by the Health Insurance Institute.

• Medical care costs and family expenditures in NYC, 1954
  The average total expenditure on health care, dental, eye care, drugs, and health insurance was $52 per person in 1954. Source: Family budget standard.
• Health care expenditures by consumers in the 1940s-1950s
  The congressional document discusses trends in average family expenditures on health care, the average cost per patient day in hospitals, the average price of long-term care, etc.
• Health care expenditures in rural Missouri, mid-1950s 

  "The Nationwide Survey indicated that the average family in the United States assumed personal obligations of about $119 for physician and hospital services during a year ending ]uly 1953." This report goes into detail on how much residents of Laclede County, MO paid for health care.

In 1950, 6% of people aged 25 years or older had completed 4 years of college (source: Census, Table A-2).  Of people age 18-21, 19% were actively enrolled in college (U.S. Bureau of Education).

Cost of living in the Middle East 

Cost of housing, home furnishings, food, clothing, education, doctor visits, cigarettes, haircuts, laundry service and more. Source: U.S. Dept of Commerce.

• Iraq, 1958
• Israel, 1959
• Lebanon, 1958
• Turkey, 1957

Retail prices in cities
Source: United Nations statistical papers.

• Egypt - Cairo, 1952

Gasoline prices in the Middle East, 1950s
Lists retail prices for major cities and areas in the Middle East, figured in US dollars.  Source: World retail prices and taxes on gasoline, kerosene and motor lubricating oils, U.S. Department of the Interior.

• Jan-March 1950 (Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon)
• Jan-March 1951 (Lebanon)
• Jan-March 1952 (Egypt and Jordan)
• Jan-March 1953 (Egypt and Syria)
• Jan-March 1954 (Syria)
• Jan-March 1956 (Egypt)
• Jan-March 1958 (Iran, Iraq, Israel)

Cost of living in Asia 

Cost of housing, food, clothing, education, cigarettes, haircuts, laundry service and more.  Source: U.S. Dept of Commerce.

• 1956: Japan, Pakistan
• 1957: Hong Kong, India, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan (Formosa)
• 1958: Burma, Ceylon, Japan
• 1959: India, Indonesia, Pakistan

Retail prices in cities
Source: United Nations statistical paper M-14.

• India - New Delhi, 1953 and 1957
• Thailand - Bangkok, 1951, 1953 and 1957
• Philippines - Manila, 1951 and 1953

Gasoline prices in Asia, 1950s
Lists retail prices for gasoline in US dollars.  This is a quarterly publication; additional issues can viewed by scrolling forward after clicking an issue below.  Source: World retail prices and taxes on gasoline, kerosene and motor lubricating oils, U.S. Department of the Interior.

• Jan-March 1950 (Ceylon, Hong Kong, India, Pakistan, Thailand)
• Jan-March 1951 (Burma, Ceylon, India)
• Jan-March 1952 (India)
• Jan-March 1954 (India)
• Jan-March 1956 (Singapore)
• Jan-March 1958 (Indonesia)
• Jan-March 1959 (India)

Cost of living in Oceania 

Cost of housing, home furnishings, telephone service, food, clothing, education, hospitalization, doctor visits, cigarettes, haircuts, laundry service, school tuition, gasoline, bus fare and more.  Source: U.S. Dept of Commerce.

• 1956: Australia

Retail prices in cities
Source: United Nations statistical papers

• Australia - Sydney, 1951-1952

Gasoline prices - Australia and New Zealand, 1950s
Lists retail gas prices in US dollars.  This is a quarterly publication; additional issues can viewed by scrolling forward after clicking an issue below.  Source: World retail prices and taxes on gasoline, kerosene and motor lubricating oils, U.S. Department of the Interior.

• Jan-March 1950 (Australia, New Zealand)
• Jan-March 1951 (Australia, New Zealand)
• Jan-March 1955 (Australia)
• Jan-March 1957 (New Zealand)

Cost of living in Africa 

Cost of housing, utilities, food, clothing, education, doctor visits, cigarettes, haircuts, laundry service, cost to hire domestic help such as cooks and gardeners, gasoline, public transportation and more. Source: U.S. Dept of Commerce.

• 1957: Angola, British East Africa (Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika), Libya
• 1958: Ethiopia, South Africa
• 1959: Liberia

Retail prices in cities
Source: United Nations statistical papers

• French Equitorial Africa - Brazzaville, 1953

Gasoline prices in Africa, 1950s
Lists retail prices for gasoline in Algeria, British East Africa, British South Africa, British West Africa, Ethiopia, French West Africa, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Morocco, Spanish Morocco, Portuguese East Africa, Sudan, Tunisia and the Union of South Africa in US dollars.  This is a quarterly publication; additional issues can viewed by scrolling forward after clicking an issue below.   Source: World retail prices and taxes on gasoline, kerosene and motor lubricating oils, U.S. Department of the Interior.

• Jan-March 1950 
• Jan-March 1951 
• Jan-March 1952 
• Jan-March 1953 
• Jan-March 1954 
• Jan-March 1955
• Jan-March 1956 
• Jan-March 1957
• Jan-March 1958
• Jan-March 1959

Gasoline prices in Canada and Iceland, 1950s
Lists retail prices in Canada and Iceland in US dollars.  This is a quarterly publication; additional issues can viewed by scrolling forward after clicking an issue below.  Source: World retail prices and taxes on gasoline, kerosene and motor lubricating oils, U.S. Department of the Interior.

• Jan-March 1950 (Canada, Iceland)
• Jan-March 1951 (Canada)
• Jan-March 1953 (Canada)
• Jan-March 1954 (Canada)
• Jan-March 1955 (Canada)
• Jan-March 1956 (Canada)

Retail prices in North American cities

• Montreal, Canada, 1957

Cost of living in Central America 

Cost of housing, home furnishings, electricity, telephone service, food, clothing, education, hospitalization, doctor visits, cigarettes, haircuts, laundry service, cost to hire domestic help such as cooks and gardeners, gasoline, bus fare and more.  Source: U.S. Dept of Commerce.

• 1957: Mexico
• 1958: El Salvador
• 1959: British Honduras (Belize), Panama

Retail prices in cities
Source: United Nations Statistical Papers

• Costa Rica - San Jose, 1951

Gasoline prices in Central America, 1950s
Lists retail prices in US dollars.  This is a quarterly publication; additional issues can viewed by scrolling forward after clicking an issue below.  Source: World retail prices and taxes on gasoline, kerosene and motor lubricating oils, U.S. Department of the Interior.

• Jan-March 1950 (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua)
• Jan-March 1951 (Costa Rica)
• Jan-March 1952 (Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico)
• Jan-March 1953 (Mexico, Panama)
• Jan-March 1954 (Mexico)

Cost of living in South America 

Cost of housing, home furnishings, electricity, telephone service, food, clothing, education, hospitalization, doctor visits, cigarettes, haircuts, laundry service, cost to hire domestic help such as cooks and gardeners, gasoline, bus fare and more.  Source: U.S. Dept of Commerce.

• 1956: Venezuela
• 1957: Brazil, Colombia
• 1958: Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Uruguay
• 1959: Brazil

Retail prices in South American cities
Source: United Nations statistical papers.

• Argentina - Buenos Aires, 1953 and 1958
• Brazil - Rio de Janeiro, 1952 and 1957
• Chile - Santiago, 1952 and 1958
• Colombia - Bogota, 1957
• Guatemala - Guatemala City, 1951, 1953 and 1958
• Mexico - Mexico City, 1951 and 1958
• Peru - Lima, 1952 and 1958

Gasoline prices in South America, 1950s
Lists retail prices for gasoline in US dollars.  This is a quarterly publication; additional issues can viewed by scrolling forward after clicking an issue below.  Source: World retail prices and taxes on gasoline, kerosene and motor lubricating oils, U.S. Department of the Interior.

• Jan-March 1950 (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay)
• Jan-March 1951 (Chile, Venezuela)
• Jan-March 1952 (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Venezuela)
• Jan-March 1953 (Peru)
• Jan-March 1954 (Bolivia, Brazil)
• Jan-March 1955 (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Venezuela)
• Jan-March 1956 (Argentina, Brazil)
• Jan-March 1957 (Brazil, Chile, Paraguay)
• Jan-March 1958 (Argentina, Brazil, Chile)
• Jan-March 1959 (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay)

Cost of living in the Caribbean 

Cost of housing, home furnishings, utilities, food, clothing, education, hospitalization, doctor visits, cigarettes, haircuts, laundry service, gasoline, bus fare and more.  Source: U.S. Dept of Commerce.

• 1958: Cuba

Gasoline prices in the Caribbean, 1950s
Lists retail gasoline prices in US dollars.  Source: World retail prices and taxes on gasoline, kerosene and motor lubricating oils, U.S. Department of the Interior.

• Jan-March 1950 (Cuba, Dominican Republic)
• Jan-March 1951 (Dominican Republic)
• Jan-March 1953 (British West Indies)
• Jan-March 1954 (Dominican Republic)
• Jan-March 1956 (Cuba)
• Jan-March 1958 (Dominican Republic)

What is the Consumer Price Index (CPI)?

"The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a representative basket of consumer goods and services" with respect to a given base year with value 100. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

What is inflation?

As measured with CPI, it is the percent change in the CPI between two different years, showing the "annual percentage change in the cost to the average consumer of acquiring a basket of goods and services". Source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

CPI Inflation Formula: CPI_x-1-CPI_x ⁄_CPIx*100