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Prices and Wages by Decade: 2010-2019

Links to government documents and primary sources listing retail prices for products and services, as well as wages for common occupations.

Wages in the United States, 2010-2019

Wages by sex, race, etc. in the United States, 2010-2019

Wages by occupation and industry 2010-2019

Non-wage sources of income, 2010-2019

Inflation and buying power, 2010s

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: CPIx-1-CPIxCPIx*100

"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

Prices in the United States, 2010-2019

PRICES for FOOD, 2010s

PRICES for HOUSING and REAL ESTATE, 2010s

CAR PRICES, 2010s

GASOLINE and DIESEL FUEL PRICES

COST of a COLLEGE EDUCATION, 2010s

In 2010, 50.6% of people aged 18-21 were enrolled in college (U.S. Census) and 29.9% of people aged 25 years or older had completed 4 years (U.S. Census, Table A-2).

ENTERTAINMENT PRICES, 2010-2019

TIP: Back issues of the Consumer Reports magazine do list retail price for selected items. Some public and college libraries maintain historical sets, and some may offer digital access through a subscription database.  Check with your local library for details.

Consumer income and expenditures, 2010-2019

Quotable facts for the 2010-2019 decade

In the United States...

  • Minimum wage was $7.25 per hour for the entire 2010s decade. Source: U.S. Dept of Labor
  • Homes had a median value of $179,900 in 2010. Source: U.S. Census Bureau
  • Education at 4-year, public universities cost an average $17,722 for tuition, fees, room & board in 2010-11. Source: U.S. Dept of Education
  • Coffee cost $3.85 per lb. in 2010 (use drop-down box on BLS site to select year).
  • TRANSPORTATION
    • New cars cost an average $23,769 in 2010. Source: U.S. BEA
    • There were 1.14 vehicles per licensed driver in 2010. Source: U.S. Dept of Energy
    • In 2010, 19.5% of U.S. households had 3 or more vehicles, compared to 2.5% in 1960. Source: U.S. Dept of Energy
    • Gasoline averaged $2.79 per gallon in 2010. Source: U.S. Energy Info Admin
  • HEALTH CARE PERSONAL EXPENDITURES -- Source: Health, United States.
    • Health care costs averaged $9,787 per person for the year 2019, 12.7% of which the consumer paid out-of-pocket. Compare to 1960, when health care costs averaged $124 per person for the year 1960, 55.3% of which the consumer paid out-of-pocket.

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Marie Concannon, Government Information Librarian
Government Documents Department, Ellis Library
University of Missouri, Columbia
Email: concannonm@missouri.edu
Phone (573) 882-0748