In 1959, the average U.S. salary was $3,856 a year, a gallon of regular gas cost about $0.31 and median rent was about $67.47 a month. A dollar from 1959 buys what $11.55 buys today.
| Item | 1959 | 1959 in today’s dollars | Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| SalaryAverage yearly wage | $3,856 | $44,537 | $74,499 |
| Payroll taxSocial Security and Medicare, employee share, yearly, on the average wage | $96.40 | $1,113 | $5,699 |
| A dozen eggsGrade A large, grocery store | ≈$0.57 | ≈$6.62 | $3.80 |
| A gallon of milkWhole milk, grocery store | ≈$0.98 | ≈$11.34 | $4.03 |
| Ham & cheese sandwich groceries1 lb white bread, 1 lb sliced ham, 1 lb American cheese | ≈$1.52 | ≈$17.54 | $13.67 |
| Tank of gas15 gallons of regular unleaded | ≈$4.59 | ≈$53.00 | $66.06 |
| Car insuranceAverage yearly premium | ≈$85.59 | ≈$989 | $1,736 |
| Monthly rentMedian rent including utilities | ≈$67.47 | ≈$779 | $1,565 |
| Monthly mortgage paymentMedian home, 20% down, 30-yr fixed, with taxes and insurance | ≈$66.43 | ≈$767 | $2,787 |
| Property taxAverage yearly bill on a single-family home | ≈$224 | ≈$2,587 | $4,406 |
| A movie ticketAverage admission, all showtimes | ≈$0.66 | ≈$7.65 | $11.60 |
| A pack of cigarettesPremium brand, including state taxes | ≈$0.25 | ≈$2.93 | $8.72 |
| A night in a hotelMid-range room, average nightly rate | ≈$11.20 | ≈$129 | $163 |
| MLB game ticketAverage non-premium seat | ≈$1.91 | ≈$22.09 | $42.50 |
| A year of public universityIn-state tuition and fees, four-year public | ≈$171 | ≈$1,977 | $11,993 |
| Cross-country flightRound trip coach, New York to Los Angeles | ≈$204 | ≈$2,360 | $444 |
| A first-class stampOne ounce, the price posted by the USPS | $0.04 | $0.46 | $0.78 |
U.S. prices at midyear 1959. ≈ marks estimates between data points; each item’s page lists its sources. Today’s dollars use the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U).