In 1952, the average U.S. salary was $2,973 a year, a gallon of regular gas cost about $0.28 and median rent was about $46.78 a month. A dollar from 1952 buys what $12.68 buys today.
| Item | 1952 | 1952 in today’s dollars | Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| SalaryAverage yearly wage | $2,973 | $37,695 | $74,499 |
| Payroll taxSocial Security and Medicare, employee share, yearly, on the average wage | $44.59 | $565 | $5,699 |
| A dozen eggsGrade A large, grocery store | ≈$0.59 | ≈$7.53 | $3.80 |
| A gallon of milkWhole milk, grocery store | ≈$0.86 | ≈$10.92 | $4.03 |
| Ham & cheese sandwich groceries1 lb white bread, 1 lb sliced ham, 1 lb American cheese | ≈$1.30 | ≈$16.50 | $13.67 |
| Tank of gas15 gallons of regular unleaded | ≈$4.17 | ≈$52.84 | $66.06 |
| Car insuranceAverage yearly premium | ≈$60.57 | ≈$768 | $1,736 |
| Monthly rentMedian rent including utilities | ≈$46.78 | ≈$593 | $1,565 |
| Monthly mortgage paymentMedian home, 20% down, 30-yr fixed, with taxes and insurance | ≈$42.03 | ≈$533 | $2,787 |
| Property taxAverage yearly bill on a single-family home | ≈$141 | ≈$1,792 | $4,406 |
| A movie ticketAverage admission, all showtimes | ≈$0.50 | ≈$6.33 | $11.60 |
| A pack of cigarettesPremium brand, including state taxes | ≈$0.21 | ≈$2.67 | $8.72 |
| A night in a hotelMid-range room, average nightly rate | ≈$6.89 | ≈$87.39 | $163 |
| MLB game ticketAverage non-premium seat | ≈$1.54 | ≈$19.52 | $42.50 |
| A year of public universityIn-state tuition and fees, four-year public | ≈$121 | ≈$1,536 | $11,993 |
| Cross-country flightRound trip coach, New York to Los Angeles | ≈$169 | ≈$2,142 | $444 |
| A first-class stampOne ounce, the price posted by the USPS | $0.03 | $0.38 | $0.78 |
U.S. prices at midyear 1952. ≈ marks estimates between data points; each item’s page lists its sources. Today’s dollars use the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U).