Our Price Basket

Average Price Gallon of Gas 2008 - 2023

2008 $3.39 2009 $2.51 2010 $2.73
2011 $3.89 2012 $3.91 2013 $3.80
2014 $2.75 2015 $2.21 2016 $2.49
2017 $2.43 2018 $2.93 2019 $2.26
2020 $2.38 2021 $3.28 2023 $3.59

Movie Ticket 2008 - 2023

2008 $6.95 2009 $7.18 2010 $7.50 2011 $8.20 2012 $8.20 2013 $10.25 2014 $10.25 2015 $10.65 2016 $10.49 2017 $8.86 2018 $9.16 2019 $9.11 2021 $13.69 2023 $13.50

First Class Stamp 2008 - 2023

2008 42¢ 2009 42¢ 2010 44¢ 2011 44¢ 2012 45¢ 2013 46¢ 2014 49¢ 2015 49¢ 2016 47¢ 2017 49¢ 2018 50¢ 2019 55¢ 2021 55¢ 2023 66¢

College Tuition 2008 - 2023

2008 $6,015 2009 $6,585 2010 $7,020 2011 $7,605 2012 $7,695 2013 $8,893 2014 $9,139 2015 $9,410 2016 $9,960 2017 $9,650 2018 $9,970 2019 $10,230 2021 $10,560 2023 $26,027

Wrangler Jeans 2008 - 2019

2008 N/A 2009 N/A 2010 $15.98 2011 $17.68 2012 $15.77 2013 $15.77 2014 $16.77 2015 $16.77 2016 $16.77 2017 $16.77 2018 $16.77 2019 $16.86 2021 $18.36 2023 $18.98

Average House Rent 2008 - 2023

2008 $800 2009 $780 2010 $945 2011 $955 2012 $1045 2013 $1195 2014 $1314 2015 $1,258 2016 $1,300 2017 $1,600 2018 $1,641 2019 $1,465 2021 $1,246 2023 $1,702

Average House Purchase 2008 - 2023

2008 $238,880 2009 $232,880 2010 $268,700 2011 $202,100 2012 $263,200 2013 $289,500 2014 $373,500 2015 $364,100 2016 $379,800 2017 $371,200 2018 $318,500 2019 $236,500 2021 $408,800 2023 $436,800

KW/Hr Electric 2008 - 2019

2008 11.03¢ 2009 11.76¢ 2010 11.97¢ 2011 12.35¢ 2012 13.30¢ 2013 13.30¢ 2014 12.72¢ 2015 12.00¢ 2016 12.00¢ 2017 13.22¢ 2018 12.00¢ 2019 10.33¢

Wages 2008 - 2023

2008 $40,523 2009 $39,423 2010 $39,856 2011 $40,925 2012 $44,321 2013 $44,888 2014 $46.481 2015 $44,600 2016 $46,409 2017 $44,564 2018 $46,464 2019 $47,060 2021 $51,480 2023 $69,480

Unemployment Percentage 2008 - 2023

2008 5.4% 2009 8.6% 2010 9.8% 2011 9.2% 2012 8.1% 2013 6.7% 2014 5.8% 2015 5.0% 2016 4.7% 2017 4.3% 2018 3.9% 2019 3.8% 2021 ( Nov ) 4.2% 2023 ( July ) 3.6%

Fed Base Rate Percentage 2008 - 2023

2008 4.25% 2009 1.00% 2010 0.25% 2011 0.25% 2012 0.25% 2013 0.25% 2014 0.25% 2015 0.25% 2016 0.5% 2017 1.25% 2018 1.75% 2019 2.25% 2020 1.75% 2021 0.15% 2021 5.25%

Dow Jones 2008 - 2023

2008 12,500 2009 9,171 2010 9,908 2011 11,326 2012 13,553 2013 15,883 2014 17,280 2015 17,245 2016 17,993 2017 21,987 2018 25,262 2019 25,450 2020 28,875 2021 Dec 34,580 2023 July 35,227

Inflation US Gov 2008 - 2023

2008 3.8% 2009 0.4% 2010 1.1% 2011 3.1% 2012 2.6% 2013 1.5% 2014 1.7% 2015 1.3% 2016 1.6% 2017 1.7% 2018 1.9% 2019 2.1% 2021 6.2% 2023 2.97%

CPI US Gov ## based upon a 1982 Base of 100 ## 2008 - 2019

2008 216.632 2009 213.856 2010 218.178 2011 224.906 2012 233.506 2013 233.049 2014 234.8 2015 236.51 2016 239.26 2017 244.786 2018 245.44 2019 245.13

Gold per Ounce 2008 - 2023

2008 $820.00 2009 $953.00 2010 $1,068.33 2011 $1,559.95 2012 $1,677.95 2013 $1,208.00 2014 $1,221.80 2015 $1,085.70 2016 $1,272.50 2017 $1,326.65 2018 $1,297.70 2019 $1,294.65 2020 $1,556.65 2021 $1,612.28 2023 $1,966.21

100 years of price Change

We spent many hours researching cost of living information for each year and I created this page after being asked a number of times about why I did not include current prices alongside our cost of living information for each year and thought this was the easiest way to make the information available. includes Average Cost Of New Home, Average Wages, New Car cost, Gallon Of Gas and a 1lb Hamburger Meat, 1920 to 2023

Healthcare Costs

We have struggled to find reliable, unbiased figures on the cost of healthcare over the past few years so we do not include that in what we have provided but thought it was important to address the subject with a few observations. Over the past few years, healthcare costs for the average person have seemed to increase significantly, taking up a larger portion of a person's wages than before. What many figures and reports tell us, and what many working people already know, is that employers have been shifting the cost of healthcare to employees by reducing the number of fuller coverage options available for insurance and encouraging employees to use high-deductible plans which end up costing more out of pocket for the individual or family. These changes can significantly contribute to the reasons that wage stagnation has felt particularly hard on the American consumer's wallet in the past few years. There have also been prescription drug price increases as well as decreases with more generic options available, these can also effect the overall cost of healthcare.

College Tuition and Student Loans

The cost of college tuition in most public institutions has also increased dramatically over the past few years, with out-of-state prices increasing a little more than in-state, in general. This has contributed to the fact that more students are leaving college with larger student loans than before. Having large student loans can impact the amount of extra income that many new entrants into the working world have at their disposal as those loans have to be paid back and often have higher interest rates than the current Federal rate. This can make it more difficult for the younger generations to save money, buy homes, and contribute to the economy through spending on higher ticket items like cars and other investment options.