1996 vs 2017
The Cost of Living Comparison
Median Income
$35,490
→
$61,140
+72.3%
Median Home
$140,250
→
$322,425
+129.9%
Housing Labor
4.0yr
→
5.3yr
1.3x harder
📊 Full Item Comparison
| Item | 1996 Price | 2017 Price | Change | Hours 1996 | Hours 2017 | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥚 Eggs | $1.11 | $1.47 | +33% | 0.1h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🍞 Bread | $0.88 | $1.33 | +52% | 0.1h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🥛 Milk | $2.62 | $3.23 | +23% | 0.2h | 0.1h | Easier |
| ⛽ Gas | $1.23 | $2.41 | +96% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Harder |
| 🥩 Ground Beef | $1.37 | $3.64 | +166% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Harder |
| 🐔 Chicken | $0.97 | $1.47 | +51% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🥓 Bacon | $2.47 | $5.77 | +133% | 0.1h | 0.2h | Harder |
| ☕ Coffee | $3.43 | $4.45 | +30% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Easier |
| 🍊 Oranges | $2.86 | $4.69 | +64% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Easier |
| 🍬 Sugar | $4.93 | $12.66 | +157% | 0.3h | 0.4h | Harder |
| ⚡ Electricity | $0.09 | $0.14 | +46% | 0.0h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🎓 College Tuition | $2,975 | $9,037 | +204% | 174.4h | 307.4h | Harder |
| 🚗 New Car | $19,828 | $36,113 | +82% | 1162.1h | 1228.6h | Harder |
| 🏠 Monthly Rent | $510 | $971 | +90% | 29.9h | 33.0h | Harder |
| 🏥 Doctor Visit | $37.05 | $74.24 | +100% | 2.2h | 2.5h | Harder |
📈 Got Harder to Earn
Items where labor hours increased from 1996 to 2017, sorted by magnitude.
🎓
College Tuition
174.4h → 307.4h
1.8x
harder
🥩
Ground Beef
0.1h → 0.1h
1.5x
harder
🍬
Sugar
0.3h → 0.4h
1.5x
harder
🥓
Bacon
0.1h → 0.2h
1.4x
harder
🏥
Doctor Visit
2.2h → 2.5h
1.2x
harder
⛽
Gas
0.1h → 0.1h
1.1x
harder
🏠
Monthly Rent
29.9h → 33.0h
1.1x
harder
🚗
New Car
1162.1h → 1228.6h
1.1x
harder
📉 Got Easier to Earn
Items where labor hours decreased from 1996 to 2017, sorted by magnitude.
💵 Purchasing Power
If you earned the median income in 1996 ($35,490), you'd need $55,460 in 2017 to maintain the same lifestyle.
Based on CPI adjustment (156.9 → 245.1).