2004 vs Today
The purchasing power of the median household has collapsed. See the data from 2004 below.
2004
Median Income
$44,330
House Price
$218,150
Today
Median Income
$83,730
House Price
$418,975
Cost of Living: 2004 Prices
🛒 Food & Groceries
🥚 Eggs
→2004
$1.34
Today
$3.17
Labor ×
1.3x
per dozen
🍞 Bread
→2004
$0.97
Today
$1.97
Labor ×
1.1x
per loaf
🥛 Milk
→2004
$3.16
Today
$3.98
Labor ×
0.7x
per gallon
🥩 Ground Beef
→2004
$2.16
Today
$5.39
Labor ×
1.3x
per lb
🐔 Chicken
→2004
$1.07
Today
$2.00
Labor ×
1.0x
per lb
🥓 Bacon
→2004
$3.38
Today
$6.78
Labor ×
1.1x
per lb
☕ Coffee
→2004
$2.85
Today
$6.32
Labor ×
1.2x
per lb
🍊 Oranges
→2004
$3.84
Today
$6.13
Labor ×
0.8x
per lb
🍬 Sugar
→2004
$6.92
Today
$13.73
Labor ×
1.1x
per lb
🏠 Housing & Utilities
🚗 Transportation
🎬 Entertainment
Salary Purchasing Power
The median income in 2004 was $44,330. Adjusted for inflation, that's equivalent to $73,614 today.
See full salary reality check for 2004 →