era-graded light · absent technology isn't drawn · every glyph opens its specimen label
The home · 2000s
66.2%A
Homeownership rate, 2000
% of occupied dwelling units (owner-occupied)
MeasuredAll U.S. occupied housing units (decennial census)
provenance
Homeownership Rate by State: 1900 to 2000
U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 ·
source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From Census Bureau decennial time series (owner.pdf). Up from 64.2% in 1990. The housing bubble would push homeownership to a peak of ~69% in 2004-2006 before the Great Recession.
Source note: Time series of homeownership rates from 1900 to 2000 by state and nationally. 1950 national rate: 55.0%. 1940: 43.6%. 1960: 61.9%. Also see companion table: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/tables/time-series/census-housing-tables/ownerchar.pdf
Assumption: The composite family
The home · 2000s
~99.5% of homes had complete plumbing (~0.5% lacked)A
Complete plumbing facilities, 2000
% of occupied housing units
MeasuredAll occupied housing units in the United States (decennial census)
provenance
Historical Census of Housing Tables: Plumbing
U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 ·
source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From Census Historical Housing Tables: Plumbing. Estimated from the series: 1990: 1% lacked, approaching 0% by 2000. Plumbing was universally available.
Source note: Complete plumbing = hot and cold piped water + flush toilet + bathtub/shower for exclusive use. Lacked complete plumbing (US row of plumbing-tab.txt, verified 2026-07-07): 1940 45.3%, 1950 35.5%, 1960 16.8%, 1970 6.9%, 1980 2.7%, 1990 1.1%. Exact data file: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/tables/time-series/coh-plumbing/plumbing-tab.txt. The 1940 Census of Housing was the first to ask about plumbing.
The home · 2000s
Natural gas 49%, electricity 34%, fuel oil 6%, propane 5%, other 6%A
House heating fuel, 2009 (RECS)
% of homes using each fuel as main space heating source
MeasuredU.S. housing units (sampled)
provenance
Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS)
U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 ·
source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From the 2009 RECS. Natural gas remained the dominant heating fuel but was declining (from 51% in 2005). Electricity continued its long-term rise (from 29% in 2005 to 34% in 2009). Fuel oil was down to ~6% (from 10%+ in 1993), concentrated in the Northeast. Coal was gone as a heating fuel. Source: EIA RECS 2009.
Source note: Started 1978, triennial/quadrennial. Tracks appliance ownership (refrigerator, washing machine, air conditioning) and housing characteristics. AC diffusion: 1993 RECS 68%, 2009 RECS 87%, 2015 RECS 87%. Useful for diffusion and home panels as complement to AHS.
The budget · 2000s
73,780,000A
Number of families in the United States, 2000
families
MeasuredAll US families by family size (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7+ persons), CPS money income
provenance
Census Historical Income Table F-8: Families by Size and Median and Mean Income (All Races)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ·
source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From Census F-8.
Source note: Excel file. The 4-person-family column is the primary source for the museum's family-of-four medians. Coverage window starts at 1947 — verify the 4-person column covers the full window. Also available: f08ar (All Races revised), f08w (White), f08b (Black), f08h (Hispanic), f08wnh (White not Hispanic).
The budget · 2000s
3.14A
Average family size, 2000
persons per family
MeasuredAll US families by family size (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7+ persons), CPS money income
provenance
Census Historical Income Table F-8: Families by Size and Median and Mean Income (All Races)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ·
source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From Census F-8. Down from 3.18 in 1990. By 2010: 3.14 (flat).
Source note: Excel file. The 4-person-family column is the primary source for the museum's family-of-four medians. Coverage window starts at 1947 — verify the 4-person column covers the full window. Also available: f08ar (All Races revised), f08w (White), f08b (Black), f08h (Hispanic), f08wnh (White not Hispanic).
The budget · 2000s
Housing 32.3%, transportation 18.6%, food 13.9%, insurance/pensions 12.1%, entertainment 5.1%, healthcare 4.5%, apparel 4.6%, cash contributions 2.6%, education 2.4%A
Expenditure breakdown, 4-person families, 2005
% of total annual expenditure
MeasuredConsumer units (households) in the civilian noninstitutionalized population
provenance
Consumer Expenditure Survey (CEX)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024 ·
source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From the 2005 Consumer Expenditure Survey, Table 4 (Size of consumer unit). 15,807 thousand 4-person CUs. Total expenditures: $62,215. Income before taxes: $78,183. Expenditure = 80% of gross income. Insurance/pensions crossed 12%. Source: BLS CEX Table 4, 2005 (cusize.pdf via Wayback Machine, web.archive.org).
Source note: Continuous since 1980 (Interview + Diary surveys). Earlier surveys: 1960-61, 1972-73. Historical predecessors date to Commissioner of Labor surveys. FRASER has 1980-81 and 1982-83 reports. BLS 403-blocks automated requests — URL valid, access via browser.
Assumption: The composite familyAssumption: Income vs consumptionAssumption: Values are shown in period money
The budget · 2000s
11.3% (31.5 million people in poverty)A
Official poverty rate, 2000
% of all people below official poverty level
MeasuredAll U.S. population (official poverty measure, CPS ASEC)
provenance
Historical Poverty Tables (Census API: histpov2)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ·
source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From Census Historical Poverty Tables (API: histpov2). Official poverty rate: 11.3%. Family poverty: 9.6%. Near the pre-recession low. The 2008-09 Great Recession would push poverty to 15.1% by 2010.
Source note: Official poverty rate from the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC), accessed via Census API endpoint histpov2. Covers 1959-present. PCTPOV = percentage of all people below poverty level. PCTFAMPOV = percentage of people in families below poverty level. The official poverty measure uses pre-tax money income vs. poverty thresholds by family size and age. Data starts 1959 (first year of official poverty measure).
The table · 2000s
Food $8,622/yr (13.9% of expenditure). Food at home $4,846 (56% of food), food away from home $3,776 (44%). Key items: meats/poultry/fish/eggs $1,140, fruits/vegetables $780, cereals/bakery $666, dairy $556, beef $344. Total expenditure: $62,215.A
Food basket and expenditure breakdown, 2005 (CEX)
USD per family per year, nominal
MeasuredConsumer units (households) in the civilian noninstitutionalized population
provenance
Consumer Expenditure Survey (CEX)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024 ·
source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From the 2005 CEX, Table 4. 15,807 thousand 4-person CUs. Food at home share: 56%, food away: 44%. Food away from home approaching half of food spending. Source: BLS CEX Table 4, 2005 (via Wayback Machine).
Source note: Continuous since 1980 (Interview + Diary surveys). Earlier surveys: 1960-61, 1972-73. Historical predecessors date to Commissioner of Labor surveys. FRASER has 1980-81 and 1982-83 reports. BLS 403-blocks automated requests — URL valid, access via browser.
Assumption: The composite familyAssumption: Income vs consumptionAssumption: Values are shown in period money
The table · 2000s
Bread $0.99/lb, ground beef $1.98/lb, bacon $3.03/lb, eggs $0.96/doz, lettuce $0.85/lbA
Retail food prices, December 2000
USD, retail prices (December 2000, BLS API)
MeasuredDepends on series (CPI: all urban consumers; food prices: urban consumers)
provenance
BLS Public Data API v2
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024 ·
source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From BLS API: APU0000702111 (bread, white, pan, per lb), APU0000703111 (ground chuck, per lb), APU0000704111 (bacon, per lb), APU0000708111 (eggs, per doz), APU0000712211 (lettuce, per lb). Values are December 2000 monthly averages. CORRECTION 2026-07-08: previous version had mismatched labels. Bread up 41% from 1990 ($0.70→$0.99), bacon up 33% ($2.28→$3.03). Ground beef actually decreased slightly ($2.02→$1.98), reflecting changes in beef production. The 2000s saw rising global food demand and the beginning of biofuel-driven corn price increases.
Source note: Direct API access to BLS time series. Used for: average food prices (APU series), CPI-U (CUUR0000SA0), wage and hours data. API key registered. Food price series (APU) available from ~1970s onward — no 1950 data. Rate limit: 100 queries/day for registered users.
The day · 2000s
74.3 male, 79.7 female (77.0 total, all races)A
Life expectancy at birth, 2000
years
MeasuredU.S. resident population (death certificates)
provenance
National Vital Statistics System: Life Tables and Infant Mortality
National Center for Health Statistics (CDC), 2024 ·
source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From NCHS National Vital Statistics System. Up from 71.8/78.8 in 1990. Life expectancy would peak at 78.9 in 2014 before the opioid crisis and COVID-19.
Source note: NCHS publishes annual life tables via the National Vital Statistics Reports series. Life expectancy at birth (all races): 1960: 69.7 total / 66.6M / 73.1F; 1970: 70.8 / 67.1M / 74.8F; 1980: 73.7 / 70.0M / 77.5F; 1990: 75.4 / 71.8M / 78.8F; 2000: 77.0 / 74.3M / 79.7F; 2010: 78.7 / 76.2M / 81.0F; 2023: 78.4 / 75.8M / 81.1F (Data Brief No. 521). 2024 provisional: 79.0 / 76.5M / 81.4F. Infant mortality rates (all races, per 1,000 live births) from Health, United States, 2016, Table 11: 1950: 29.2; 1960: 26.0; 1970: 20.0; 1980: 12.6; 1990: 9.2; 2000: 6.9; 2010: 6.1; 2015: 5.9. URL for infant mortality table: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/2016/011.pdf
The day · 2000s
$14.01/hr, 34.3 hrs/week (total private). Manufacturing: $14.31/hr, 41.2 hrs/week.A
Average hourly earnings and weekly hours, 2000
USD/hour and hours/week, nominal
MeasuredProduction and nonsupervisory employees, total private sector
provenance
Average Hourly Earnings of All Employees, Total Private (AHETPI)
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (source: BLS Current Employment Statistics), 2024 ·
source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: Production and nonsupervisory employees, seasonally adjusted: FRED AHETPI + AWHNONAG (total private), CES3000000008 + AWHMAN (manufacturing). Annual average of 12 monthly observations, re-verified against FRED 2026-07-08.
Source note: Average (not median) hourly earnings. Coverage: 1964-present, monthly. BLS source code: CES0500000008. Useful for work-buys panel as proxy for median worker purchasing power.
Assumption: Values are shown in period money
The day · 2000s
29.3C
Women's weekly unpaid home-production hours, 2005
hours per week, prime-age women (ages 18–64)
MeasuredPrime-age women and men, ages 18–64 (benchmark years 1900–2005); also all-ages per-capita and per-household aggregates
provenance
Time Spent in Home Production in the Twentieth-Century United States: New Estimates from Old Data
Cambridge University Press (Journal of Economic History), 2009 ·
source
Confidence: C — Reconstructed from period surveys
Curator note: Ramey (2009) Table 6A, 'All Prime-Age Women' column. Reconstruction from historical time-diary studies (Purnell Act 1920s, Wilson 1929, USDA 1944) linked to AHTUS/BLS surveys from 1965. Includes food prep, house cleaning, clothing care, childcare, purchasing, and household management. Numbers in italics in source = partially extrapolated. Draft version (NBER w13985) has identical values. Splice caveat: Ramey measures women-specific home production ages 18-64; ATUS (2020s room) measures all-adult household activities age 15+ — a concept change that must caveat when plotted together.
Source note: Valerie A. Ramey, JEconHist 69(1), March 2009, pp. 1–47. Reconstruction from historical time-diary studies (Purnell Act studies 1920s, Wilson 1929, USDA 1944) linked to AHTUS/BLS modern surveys. Draft version: NBER Working Paper w13985 (May 2008, 63pp) — data tables are numerically identical to the published version; differences are prose tightening and table reformatting (5→5A/5B, etc.). Tier C (period-survey reconstruction). Key tables: Table 5A (nonemployed women), Table 6A (all women, prime-age), Table 7 (men, prime-age), Table 8A (all ages), Table 3 (component breakdown). Note: Ramey does not use the 1992-94 survey (missing data), so no 1990s benchmark. Splice point to ATUS: Ramey measures women-specific home production ages 18-64; ATUS measures all-adult household activities age 15+ — a concept splice that must caveat (Plan 004 Measure guard).
Assumption: The composite family
The day · 2000s
16.8C
Men's weekly unpaid home-production hours, 2005
hours per week, prime-age men (ages 18–64)
MeasuredPrime-age women and men, ages 18–64 (benchmark years 1900–2005); also all-ages per-capita and per-household aggregates
provenance
Time Spent in Home Production in the Twentieth-Century United States: New Estimates from Old Data
Cambridge University Press (Journal of Economic History), 2009 ·
source
Confidence: C — Reconstructed from period surveys
Curator note: Ramey (2009) Table 7, 'All Prime-Age Men' column. Early estimates from Purnell Act studies and Lundberg et al. (1934); 1965+ from AHTUS/BLS. Men's hours rose 13 hrs/week across the century (3.9→16.8), partially offsetting women's decline. Numbers in italics in source = partially extrapolated.
Source note: Valerie A. Ramey, JEconHist 69(1), March 2009, pp. 1–47. Reconstruction from historical time-diary studies (Purnell Act studies 1920s, Wilson 1929, USDA 1944) linked to AHTUS/BLS modern surveys. Draft version: NBER Working Paper w13985 (May 2008, 63pp) — data tables are numerically identical to the published version; differences are prose tightening and table reformatting (5→5A/5B, etc.). Tier C (period-survey reconstruction). Key tables: Table 5A (nonemployed women), Table 6A (all women, prime-age), Table 7 (men, prime-age), Table 8A (all ages), Table 3 (component breakdown). Note: Ramey does not use the 1992-94 survey (missing data), so no 1990s benchmark. Splice point to ATUS: Ramey measures women-specific home production ages 18-64; ATUS measures all-adult household activities age 15+ — a concept splice that must caveat (Plan 004 Measure guard).
Assumption: The composite family
The day · 2000s
49C
Total home-production hours per household, 2005
hours per week, all household members combined
MeasuredPrime-age women and men, ages 18–64 (benchmark years 1900–2005); also all-ages per-capita and per-household aggregates
provenance
Time Spent in Home Production in the Twentieth-Century United States: New Estimates from Old Data
Cambridge University Press (Journal of Economic History), 2009 ·
source
Confidence: C — Reconstructed from period surveys
Curator note: Ramey (2009), aggregate home-production hours divided by number of households. Fell from 78 hrs/week (1900) to 49 hrs/week (2005), a 37% decline. Household size fell 45% (4.7→2.6 persons) over the same period, so per-household hours fell proportionally less than household size. Per-capita (all ages) was 18.5 hrs/week — slightly higher in 2005 than 1900 because fewer children (who do little home production) are in the population.
Source note: Valerie A. Ramey, JEconHist 69(1), March 2009, pp. 1–47. Reconstruction from historical time-diary studies (Purnell Act studies 1920s, Wilson 1929, USDA 1944) linked to AHTUS/BLS modern surveys. Draft version: NBER Working Paper w13985 (May 2008, 63pp) — data tables are numerically identical to the published version; differences are prose tightening and table reformatting (5→5A/5B, etc.). Tier C (period-survey reconstruction). Key tables: Table 5A (nonemployed women), Table 6A (all women, prime-age), Table 7 (men, prime-age), Table 8A (all ages), Table 3 (component breakdown). Note: Ramey does not use the 1992-94 survey (missing data), so no 1990s benchmark. Splice point to ATUS: Ramey measures women-specific home production ages 18-64; ATUS measures all-adult household activities age 15+ — a concept splice that must caveat (Plan 004 Measure guard).
Assumption: The composite family
The day · 2000s
6.9 per 1,000 live birthsA
Infant mortality rate, 2000
deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
MeasuredU.S. resident population (death certificates)
provenance
National Vital Statistics System: Life Tables and Infant Mortality
National Center for Health Statistics (CDC), 2024 ·
source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From NCHS, Health, United States, 2016, Table 11. All races. Neonatal: 4.6; postneonatal: 2.3. The rate was essentially flat from 2000-2005 before resuming decline.
Source note: NCHS publishes annual life tables via the National Vital Statistics Reports series. Life expectancy at birth (all races): 1960: 69.7 total / 66.6M / 73.1F; 1970: 70.8 / 67.1M / 74.8F; 1980: 73.7 / 70.0M / 77.5F; 1990: 75.4 / 71.8M / 78.8F; 2000: 77.0 / 74.3M / 79.7F; 2010: 78.7 / 76.2M / 81.0F; 2023: 78.4 / 75.8M / 81.1F (Data Brief No. 521). 2024 provisional: 79.0 / 76.5M / 81.4F. Infant mortality rates (all races, per 1,000 live births) from Health, United States, 2016, Table 11: 1950: 29.2; 1960: 26.0; 1970: 20.0; 1980: 12.6; 1990: 9.2; 2000: 6.9; 2010: 6.1; 2015: 5.9. URL for infant mortality table: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/2016/011.pdf
Assumption: The composite family
What had arrived · 2000s
Internet: 46% (2000) → 79% (2009). Broadband: ~5% (2000) → 63% (2009).A
Internet and broadband adoption, 2000s
% of adults
MeasuredU.S. adults (survey samples)
provenance
Pew Research Center: Internet & Broadband Fact Sheet
Pew Research Center, 2025 ·
source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From Pew Research Center. Internet adoption crossed 50% around 2001. Broadband (DSL/cable) replaced dial-up through the 2000s. By 2009, 63% of adults had home broadband. The smartphone era began with the iPhone (2007) but mass adoption belongs to the 2010s.
Source note: Pew's Internet & Technology program tracks internet, broadband, and smartphone adoption via periodic surveys. Compiles time-series adoption percentages. Coverage: ~2000-present. Pew 403-blocks automated requests — URL valid, access via browser.
What had arrived · 2000s
~40% (2000) → ~85% (2009)A
Cell phone adoption, 2000s
% of adults who own a cell phone
MeasuredU.S. adults (survey samples)
provenance
Pew Research Center: Internet & Broadband Fact Sheet
Pew Research Center, 2025 ·
source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From Pew Research Center. Cell phone adoption was rapid: ~40% in 2000, ~65% in 2004, ~85% by 2009. The iPhone (2007) and Android (2008) began the smartphone transition.
Source note: Pew's Internet & Technology program tracks internet, broadband, and smartphone adoption via periodic surveys. Compiles time-series adoption percentages. Coverage: ~2000-present. Pew 403-blocks automated requests — URL valid, access via browser.
What had arrived · 2000s
87% of homes had AC (61% central AC)A
Air conditioning, 2009 (RECS)
% of occupied housing units with air conditioning
MeasuredU.S. housing units (sampled)
provenance
Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS)
U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 ·
source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From the 2009 RECS. 87% of US homes used air conditioning — up from 68% in 1993. Central AC alone reached 61% (nearly tripled from 23% in 1978). AC was approaching universality. By 2015, AC remained at 87%, and by 2020, reached 88%. Source: EIA RECS 2009.
Source note: Started 1978, triennial/quadrennial. Tracks appliance ownership (refrigerator, washing machine, air conditioning) and housing characteristics. AC diffusion: 1993 RECS 68%, 2009 RECS 87%, 2015 RECS 87%. Useful for diffusion and home panels as complement to AHS.
What had arrived · 2000s
65.3 million basic cable subscribers (~59% of TV households)A
Households with cable TV, 2006
subscribers (% of TV households with cable, FCC 13th Report)
MeasuredU.S. households subscribing to multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) services
provenance
Annual Assessment of the Status of Competition in the Market for the Delivery of Video Programming
Federal Communications Commission, 2017 ·
source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From FCC 13th Annual Video Competition Report (FCC 07-206, data as of June 2006). 110.2M TV households, 95.8M subscribed to MVPD (87%). Cable's share of MVPD: 68.2% = 65.3M basic subscribers. Cable penetration of all TV households: ~59%. This was near the peak — cord-cutting began around 2013. Up from 60% (1992). By 2015: 53.2M subscribers (declining).
Source note: FCC's annual report on video competition. Subscriber data from SNL Kagan (industry analyst). Key data: 1992: 59.3% of TV households (55.2M subscribers, FCC 97-423 Table B-1). 1997: 64.2M cable, 73.6M total MVPD, 75.9% of TV households (FCC 1997 report). 2006: 65.3M basic cable, 95.8M total MVPD, 87% of TV households (FCC 07-206, 13th Report). 2015: 53.2M cable (53.1% of MVPD), 33.1M DBS, 13.0M telco, 99.4M total MVPD (FCC DA 17-71, 2017). MVPD subscriber losses began 2013 — cord-cutting era. Cable's share of MVPD declined from 89% (1997) to 68.2% (2006) to 53.1% (2015).
A day's work buys · 2000s
2.36 years ($119,600 home vs $50,730 income)C
Median home value as years of median family income, 2000
years of median family income (nominal)
MeasuredAll U.S. occupied housing units (decennial census)
provenance
Homeownership Rate by State: 1900 to 2000
U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 ·
source
Confidence: C — Reconstructed from period surveys
Curator note: Computed: 2000 median home value ($119,600) / 2000 median family income ($50,730). The housing bubble (2002-2006) would push this ratio far higher before the crash.
Source note: Time series of homeownership rates from 1900 to 2000 by state and nationally. 1950 national rate: 55.0%. 1940: 43.6%. 1960: 61.9%. Also see companion table: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/tables/time-series/census-housing-tables/ownerchar.pdf
Assumption: The affordability axisAssumption: Values are shown in period money
A day's work buys · 2000s
CPI 172.2 (2000) → 313.7 (2024) = 1.8x. $1 in 2000 = $1.82 in 2024. Real median family income grew 1.14x.A
Consumer Price Index and purchasing power, 2000
CPI-U (1982-84=100), annual average
MeasuredAll Urban Consumers (CPI-U)
provenance
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024 ·
source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: CPI from BLS series CUUR0000SA0 (confirmed via BLS API). 2000: 172.2. 2024: 313.7. Ratio: 1.82x. Nominal median family income: $50,730 (2000) → $105,800 (2024) = 2.09x. Real growth: 2.09/1.82 = 1.14x — the weakest real income growth of any postwar decade, reflecting two recessions (2001, 2008-09) and the housing crash.
Source note: BLS CPI homepage. Historical data and supplemental files at https://www.bls.gov/cpi/tables/supplemental-files/. BLS 403-blocks automated requests — URL valid, access via browser. Historical article: https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2014/article/one-hundred-years-of-price-change-the-consumer-price-index-and-the-american-inflation-experience.htm
Assumption: Values are shown in period moneyAssumption: The affordability axis
Confidence & flags
A — official statistical series
B — official microdata, computed by this project
C — reconstructed from period surveys
D — scholarly estimate
Gap — no reliable record; shown as the gap it is
Reading the museum
Every fact is behind glass: its placard names the source, the year, who was measured, and how sure we are. Chart points and stage glyphs deep-link to their placards.
Falling metrics render in copper, rising in brass. Absent technology isn't drawn — a bare house says more than ghosts.