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The Daily Insight

What were the prices of things in 1920?

Author

John Thompson

Published Mar 10, 2026

Trivia – Cost of Living

  • New House. 1920: $6,296.
  • Average Income. 1920: $2,160 per year.
  • New Car. 1920: $525.
  • Average Rent. 1920: $15 per month.
  • Movie Ticket. 1920: 15 cents each.
  • Gasoline. 1920: 33 cents per gallon.
  • First Class Postage Stamp. 1920: 2 cents.

    How much did it cost to live in 1920?

    Rent prices for a single person’s apartment in the 1920s averaged at about $60 per month. Yes… just $60 per month! According to the US Inflation Calculator, however, that amount of money would be equivalent to about $776 today, which is on the lower end of apartment rental prices nowadays.

    How much did a gallon of milk cost in the 1920s?

    In the Roaring ’20s, milk was 35¢ or so per gallon.

    How much was a fridge in the 1920s?

    1920’s – The invention of the electric refrigerator The first ever electric refrigerator was invented by General Electric in 1927, costing each eager homeowner around $520 (that’s over $7000 in today’s money!).

    How much did a mansion cost in 1920?

    If you dreamed of making the white picket fence a reality, a new house would’ve cost approximately $6,296–about $77,339 today. In 1920, to rent an apartment in New York City cost $60 per month.

    How much did a hamburger cost in 1920?

    Perry’s Brass Rail, at 6327 Hollywood Blvd, charged 15 cents in the 1920s for a “Hamburger-Balogna” sandwich.

    What was the hourly wage in 1920?

    History of California Minimum Wage

    Effective DateNew Minimum WagePercentage of Increase Over Previous Wage
    February 8, 1943$0.4536.36 percent
    1920$0.3317.86 percent
    1919$0.2833.33 percent
    1918$0.2131.25 percent

    What did a house cost in 1920?

    If you dreamed of making the white picket fence a reality, a new house would’ve cost approximately $6,296–about $77,339 today. In 1920, to rent an apartment in New York City cost $60 per month. With inflation, that’s $773.00 in 2020 – which is still less than you’d pay to rent a single room nowadays.

    How much did a dozen eggs cost in 1920?

    It’s surprising what certain items at the grocery store would have set you back in 1920. For instance, a dozen eggs cost 47 cents ($6.06 today), one pound of round steak cost 40 cents ($5.16 today), and three pounds of macaroni cost 25 cents ($3.22 today).

    How much did a car cost in 1920?

    The Model-T (the first cheap car) cost $850 in 1908. When you adjust for inflation, that is about $22000 now. However, it must be added that the cost of that dwindled to $260 by 1920 (about $3500 now)[2].

    What would $20 in 1920 be worth today?

    $20 in 1920 is worth $271.70 today.

    What was minimum wage in 1920?

    History of California Minimum Wage

    Effective DateNew Minimum WageOld Minimum Wage
    1920$0.33$0.28
    1919$0.28$0.21
    1918$0.21$0.16
    1916$0.16

    What was the average house in 1920?

    The 1920s certainly saw the building of stately mansions and Gatsby-esque estates, but the average new home built that decade ranged from just 742 to 1,223 square feet.

    What was the most expensive car in 1920?

    1920s. Exclusive Mercedes-Benz 680S Torpedo Roadster born in an era when the Ford Model T was selling one million units per year on average.

    What was a lot of money in the 1920s?

    Lots of people believed that they could get rich quick during this period in history, due to the economy. Adjusted for inflation, $100.00 in 1920 is equal to $1,359.65 in 2020. Annual inflation over this period was 2.64%….What was the money mentality of the 1920s?

    YearEquivalent
    1922$91.53
    1921$102.65
    1920$100.00
    1919$87.30

    How much did a house cost in 1900?

    The average home in America sold for approximately $5,000 in 1900. In 1900, shoppers could buy a 5-pound bag of flour for 12 cents. Round steak was 13 cents a pound, and bacon was a penny more.

    What was min wage in 1977?

    $2.30
    Minimum hourly wage of workers in jobs first covered by

    Effective Date1938 Act 11961 Amendments 2
    Jan 1, 1976$2.30$2.30
    Jan 1, 1977
    Jan 1, 1978$2.65 for all covered, nonexempt workers$2.65 for all covered, nonexempt workers
    Jan 1, 1979$2.90 for all covered, nonexempt workers$2.90 for all covered, nonexempt workers

    How much did a nice house cost in 1920?

    How fast did cars go in the 1920s?

    The most popular car in 1920 was the Ford Model T, which was 20 hp and claimed to have a top speed of 28 mph. In that era, I have no idea what the average speed was, probably faster than a bicycle or a horse pulling buckboard wagon. Outside of major urban centers, paved roads were scarce.

    Who made the most money in 1920?

    Edward S.

  • Edward S.
  • William A.
  • William A.
  • George F.
  • George F. Baker, inflation-adjusted net worth: $2.54 billion (£2.09bn)
  • John D. Rockefeller, inflation-adjusted net worth: $20.36 billion (£16.78bn)
  • John D. Rockefeller, inflation-adjusted net worth: $20.36 billion (£16.78bn)