vitrine · US · the 2020s

The 2020s room

The composite family. Each room is a statistical composite, assembled from separate distributions with separate sources. The family at the median income did not also have the median house, the median car, and the median diet. No single family described here ever existed; each fact tells you, in its provenance drawer, which real population it was measured from.
Decade 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
parlorroomskitchenbath & heathousing 31.3% of spendingapparel 2.5% of spendingfood 13.5% of spendinghealth 7% of spendingtransport 17.9% of spendingHomeownership rate, 2024: 65.3%Housing characteristics, 2023 (AHS): Median 1,500 sq ft. 99.9% have complete bathroom. 89.3% public water, 80.9% public sewer. Median 5 rooms. 67.6% have garage/carport.Phone service and vehicle access, 2023 (AHS): Cell phone 92.7%, landline 20.1%, garage/carport 67.6%92.7%Retail food prices, December 2024: Bread $1.91/lb, ground beef $5.58/lb, bacon $6.92/lb, eggs $4.15/doz, lettuce $1.71/lb, bananas $0.62/lbPrimary heating fuel, 2024: Natural gas 47%, electricity 42%, other 11%Households using air conditioning, 2020: 88% (two-thirds central AC)88%Adults who use the internet, 2025: 96%96%Households with at least one vehicle, 2023: 91.5% (8.5% with no vehicle)91.5%
era-graded light · absent technology isn't drawn · every glyph opens its specimen label

The home

The home · 2020s
65.3%A

Homeownership rate, 2024

% of occupied housing units that are owner-occupied

MeasuredAll US households / occupied housing units (ACS 1-year national sample)
provenance
American Community Survey (ACS) 1-Year Estimates
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 · source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates (data.census.gov). The rate is ±0.1%. Up from 55.0% in 1950. (Source re-pointed from census-ahs 2026-07-07: this is ACS data, not AHS.)
Source note: Annual survey replacing the decennial long form (2005→). Used here for homeownership rate, median home value (B25077), house heating fuel (B25040). Distinct from the AHS (census-ahs): different sample, different sponsor, different questionnaire — do not conflate the two.
Assumption: The composite family
The home · 2020s
Median 1,500 sq ft. 99.9% have complete bathroom. 89.3% public water, 80.9% public sewer. Median 5 rooms. 67.6% have garage/carport.A

Housing characteristics, 2023 (AHS)

percent of 133.2M occupied units (AHS 2023 National)

MeasuredU.S. housing units (national sample)
provenance
American Housing Survey (AHS)
U.S. Census Bureau (sponsored by HUD), 2024 · source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From American Housing Survey 2023 National tables (AHS Table Creator, generated 2026-07-06). Data parsed from Excel exports. Total occupied units: 133,231 thousand. Complete bathroom: 133,096K (99.9%). Public water: 119,015K (89.3%). Public sewer: 107,884K (80.9%). Garage or carport: 90,044K (67.6%). Median square footage: 1,500 (mean: 1,809). For comparison with 1950 Census of Housing: near-universal plumbing and electricity, dramatically larger homes (1950 median ~1,000 sq ft estimated).
Source note: Started 1973, biennial/annual. Tracks tenure, rooms, amenities (plumbing, kitchen, telephone, automobile in some years), housing costs. Table Creator: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs/data/interactive/ahstablecreator.html. Historical reports at HUDUser: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/ahs/ahs_1999.pdf
Assumption: The composite family
Assumption: Rooms, not square feet
The home · 2020s
$360,600A

Median home value, 2024 (ACS)

USD, nominal (median value of owner-occupied housing units)

≈ 11,972 hours of work

≈ 257.8% of annual income

MeasuredAll US households / occupied housing units (ACS 1-year national sample)
provenance
American Community Survey (ACS) 1-Year Estimates
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 · source
Confidence: A — Official series
Basis: One-time price
Affordability anchors: Production and nonsupervisory employees, total private sector; All US families by family size (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7+ persons), CPS money income
Denominators measure: hours axis: average hourly earnings; income axis: total money income
Curator note: From Census ACS 1-Year Estimates, Table B25077 (Median value of owner-occupied housing units), 2024. Margin of error: ±$618. Time series: $179,900 (2010), $181,200 (2014), $240,500 (2019), $360,600 (2024) — doubled in 14 years. For comparison: $7,354 in 1950 (Tier C).
Source note: Annual survey replacing the decennial long form (2005→). Used here for homeownership rate, median home value (B25077), house heating fuel (B25040). Distinct from the AHS (census-ahs): different sample, different sponsor, different questionnaire — do not conflate the two.
Assumption: Values are shown in period money
Assumption: Rooms, not square feet

The budget

The budget · 2020s
Housing 31.3%, transportation 17.9%, food 13.5%, insurance/pensions 14.8%, healthcare 7.0%, entertainment 4.6%, apparel 2.5%, education 2.4%, cash contributions 2.0%A

Expenditure breakdown, 4-person families, 2024

% 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: Computed from CEX Table 1400 (Size of CU, 2024). 4-person CUs: 16,718 thousand. Average annual expenditure: $109,622. Average income before taxes: $161,632. Expenditure = 68% of gross income. Compared to 1901: food dropped from 42.54% to 13.5%, apparel from 14.04% to 2.5%, while housing rose from 12.95% to 31.3% and transportation emerged as a major category (17.9%). Source: bls.gov/cex/tables.htm, file cu-size-2024.xlsx.
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 family
Assumption: Income vs consumption
Assumption: Values are shown in period money
The budget · 2020s
42.54% (1901) -> 13.5% (2024) — food's share dropped by two-thirdsA

Food share of expenditure: 1901 vs 2024

% of total family expenditure

Measured2,567 wage-earner families in 33 states, head earning <=$1,200/year, year 1901
provenance
BLS Bulletin No. 49: Cost of Living and Retail Prices of Food (18th Annual Report of the Commissioner of Labor)
U.S. Department of Commerce and Labor, Bureau of Labor, 1903 · source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: 1901 figure from BLS Bulletin No. 49 (18th Annual Report). 2024 figure computed from CEX Table 1400. This is Engels' Law in action: as income rises, the share spent on food decreases. The absolute food budget increased ($326.90 in 1901 vs ~$14,797 in 2024 for a 4-person family) but its share of total expenditure fell dramatically.
Source note: Primary source for 1900s room. Average income $827.19, average expenditure $768.54, food $326.90 (42.54%). Rent 12.95%, clothing 14.04%, fuel and light 5.25%. Average family size 5.31. NOTE: the University of Missouri guide cited average income as $749 — the primary source says $827.19. The $749 figure is WRONG; this is the correct figure from the report itself. File: bls_v08_0049_1903.pdf (268 pages, text-extractable via pdftotext).
Assumption: The composite family
Assumption: Income vs consumption
Assumption: Values are shown in period money
The budget · 2020s
12.95% (1901) -> 31.3% (2024) — housing's share nearly tripledA

Housing share of expenditure: 1901 vs 2024

% of total family expenditure

Measured2,567 wage-earner families in 33 states, head earning <=$1,200/year, year 1901
provenance
BLS Bulletin No. 49: Cost of Living and Retail Prices of Food (18th Annual Report of the Commissioner of Labor)
U.S. Department of Commerce and Labor, Bureau of Labor, 1903 · source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: 1901 rent from BLS Bulletin No. 49. 2024 from CEX Table 1400 (includes shelter, utilities, furnishings, household operations). Housing became the largest expenditure category, driven by rising real estate costs and larger homes. In 1901 food was the largest category; by 2024 it was housing.
Source note: Primary source for 1900s room. Average income $827.19, average expenditure $768.54, food $326.90 (42.54%). Rent 12.95%, clothing 14.04%, fuel and light 5.25%. Average family size 5.31. NOTE: the University of Missouri guide cited average income as $749 — the primary source says $827.19. The $749 figure is WRONG; this is the correct figure from the report itself. File: bls_v08_0049_1903.pdf (268 pages, text-extractable via pdftotext).
Assumption: The composite family
Assumption: Income vs consumption
Assumption: Values are shown in period money
The budget · 2020s
$105,800A

Median family income, all families, 2024

USD per year, nominal, money income before tax

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
Basis: Annual figure
Curator note: From Table F-8 (All Races), row 10. CPS money income, as of March 2025 (2024 ASEC). This is the most recent available data.
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).
Assumption: The composite family
Assumption: Values are shown in period money
Assumption: The affordability axis
The budget · 2020s
$139,900A

Median family income, four-person families, 2024

USD per year, nominal, money income before tax

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
Basis: Annual figure
Curator note: From Table F-8 (All Races), 'Families with Four People' section, row 259. The 4-person family median is higher than the all-family median because smaller families (2-person) pull the all-family median down.
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).
Assumption: The composite family
Assumption: Getting to a family of four
Assumption: Values are shown in period money
Assumption: The affordability axis
The budget · 2020s
85,980,000A

Number of families in the United States, 2024

families (thousands as published: 85,980)

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 Table F-8, all families, row 10. CPS estimate as of March 2025.
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).
Assumption: Values are shown in period money
The budget · 2020s
3.15A

Average family size, 2024

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 Table F-8, all families, row 10, column G. Down from 3.54 in 1950 — families are smaller.
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).
Assumption: The composite family
The budget · 2020s
10.6% (35.9 million people)A

Official poverty rate, 2024

% of U.S. population below official poverty threshold

MeasuredU.S. resident population and families (CPS ASEC)
provenance
Poverty in the United States: 2024 (Current Population Reports P60-287)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 · source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From Census P-60 No. 287 (Sep 2025). Official poverty rate: 10.6% (down from 11.1% in 2023). 35.9M people in poverty. Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM): 12.9% (unchanged from 2023). For families: married-couple 3.5%, female-householder 18.6%. The official poverty threshold for a 4-person family with 2 children was ~$32,000 in 2024.
Source note: Official poverty rate 2024: 10.6% (35.9M people). SPM: 12.9%. Down from 11.1% official in 2023. For families: 7.0% poverty rate (married-couple 3.5%, female-householder 18.6%).
Assumption: The composite family

The table

The table · 2020s
Bread $1.91/lb, ground beef $5.58/lb, bacon $6.92/lb, eggs $4.15/doz, lettuce $1.71/lb, bananas $0.62/lbA

Retail food prices, December 2024

USD, nominal, BLS average price survey (APU series, December 2024)

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 Public Data API v2, series APU0000702111 (bread, white, pan, per lb), APU0000703111 (ground chuck, 100% beef, per lb), APU0000704111 (bacon, sliced, per lb), APU0000708111 (eggs, grade A, large, per doz), APU0000712211 (lettuce, iceberg, per lb), APU0000711211 (bananas, per lb). Values are December 2024 monthly averages, verified via BLS API catalog endpoint. CORRECTION 2026-07-08: the previous version of this fact had mismatched labels — APU0000712211 was labeled 'bread' but is actually lettuce; APU0000702111 was labeled 'flour' but is actually bread; APU0000703111 was labeled 'round steak' but is actually ground chuck; APU0000704111 was labeled 'milk' but is actually bacon; APU0000708111 was labeled 'potatoes' but is actually eggs; APU0000711211 was labeled 'coffee' but is actually bananas. The note claiming 'eggs, butter, bananas, sugar returned N/A' was also wrong — eggs and bananas both returned valid data. For comparison with 1950: bread 14.3¢→$1.91/lb (13.4x), ground beef ~93.6¢→$5.58/lb (6.0x), eggs 60.4¢→$4.15/doz (6.9x).
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.
Assumption: Values are shown in period money
The table · 2020s
Food 13.5% of expenditure for 4-person families (~$14,800 of $109,622/yr). Down from 42.54% in 1901.A

Food expenditure share, 2024 (CEX Table 1400)

% share 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 CEX Table 1400 (Size of CU, 2024), cu-size-2024.xlsx — same computation as us-2020s-expenditure-breakdown-4p: food's within-budget share for 4-person CUs is 13.5% of $109,622 average annual expenditure. CORRECTION 2026-07-07: this fact previously displayed 17.8%, a misread of Table 1400's aggregate-share column (the share of NATIONAL food spending attributable to 4-person CUs — they are 12.3% of CUs and outspend the average, so their aggregate shares cluster at 15-18% in every category); that column is not a budget share. Compared to 1901: food dropped from 42.54% to 13.5% — Engel's Law in action.
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: Income vs consumption

The day

The day · 2020s
40.7A

Average weekly hours, manufacturing production workers, 2024

hours per week

MeasuredProduction and nonsupervisory employees in manufacturing
provenance
Average Weekly Hours of Production and Nonsupervisory Employees, Manufacturing (AWHMAN)
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (source: BLS Current Employment Statistics), 2024 · source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: Annual average computed from FRED AWHMAN monthly data (12 observations for 2024, averaged). Remarkably similar to 1950 (40.5 hours). Note: this measures manufacturing only; the service-sector average is lower.
Source note: Coverage: Jan 1939–present, monthly. BLS source code: CES3000000006. CSV API: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/fredgraph.csv?id=AWHMAN. 1950 annual average: 40.5 hours. 2024 annual average: 40.7 hours.
Assumption: The composite family
The day · 2020s
$30.12A

Average hourly earnings, all private-sector production workers, 2024

USD per hour, 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
Basis: Hourly rate
Curator note: Annual average computed from FRED AHETPI monthly data (12 observations for 2024, averaged). BLS Current Employment Statistics. Note: AHETPI covers all private-sector production/nonsupervisory employees, not just manufacturing (unlike the 1950 CES3000000008 series). The 1964 AHETPI value was $2.50.
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
Assumption: The affordability axis
Assumption: The wage anchor changes across the span
The day · 2020s
$1,225.88A

Implied average weekly earnings, 2024

USD per week, nominal (computed: $30.12 × 40.7)

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
Basis: Weekly figure
Curator note: Computed: average hourly earnings ($30.12) × average weekly hours for manufacturing (40.7). Note: this mixes all-private-sector wages with manufacturing hours — a slight inconsistency. The actual all-private-sector weekly hours series (AWHAETP) would be more consistent but starts in 2006.
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 · 2020s
Sleeping 8.84 hrs, working 3.26 hrs (men 3.92, women 2.64), eating 1.18 hrs, household activities 1.78 hrs, food prep 0.60 hrs, purchasing 0.75 hrsA

How Americans spend their day, 2019 (ATUS)

hours per day, civilian population (annual average)

MeasuredCivilian noninstitutionalized population age 15+
provenance
American Time Use Survey (ATUS)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024 · source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From BLS American Time Use Survey, Table A-1 (2019 annual averages), a1-2019.pdf. Text layer extracted directly via pymupdf — no OCR needed. 'Working and work-related activities' = 3.61 hrs total (includes work-related activities beyond just working). 'Personal care activities' = 9.62 hrs (dominated by sleeping 8.84 hrs). Household activities include housework (0.53 hrs), food prep (0.60 hrs), and lawn/garden (0.17 hrs). Time series available: a1_2003, a1_2009, a1_2010, a1-2019 (Table A-1 by sex); a2_2010, a2_2011, a2-2019 (Table A-2 by employment status/children).
Source note: Started 2003, annual. Covers work hours, commute time, daily activities. Primary source for the 'day' panel from 2000s onward. BLS 403-blocks automated requests — URL valid, access via browser.
Assumption: The composite family
The day · 2020s
75.8 male, 81.1 female (78.4 total)A

Life expectancy at birth, 2023

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 Data Brief No. 521 (Dec 2024), final 2023 mortality data. Male: 75.8 (up 1.0 from 74.8 in 2022). Female: 81.1 (up 0.9 from 80.2 in 2022). The 2020-21 COVID decline (78.8 → 76.1) has largely recovered. Provisional 2024 (Data Brief No. 548, Jan 2026): male 76.5, female 81.4. For cross-decade comparison: 1900-02: 48.2M/51.1F; 1939-41: 62.8M/67.3F; 1949-51: 66.3M/72.0F; 1960: 66.6M/73.1F (white).
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 · 2020s
5.6 per 1,000 live birthsA

Infant mortality rate, 2023

deaths before 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 CDC/NCHS National Vital Statistics System (reported via USAFacts citing CDC). 2023 rate: 5.61 per 1,000 — up 3.5% from the 2020 record low of 5.42. Provisional 2024: 5.34 per 1,000. For cross-decade comparison: 1900: ~100 per 1,000; 1915: 99.9; 1997: 7.2. The century-long decline exceeds 90% — one of the greatest public health achievements. Persistent racial disparities: Black infant mortality is ~2x the national average.
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 · 2020s
Ramey 2005: women 29.3, men 16.8 hrs/week (ages 18–64) → ATUS 2019: household activities 1.78 hrs/day, all adults 15+C

Home-production hours: Ramey endpoint vs ATUS (concept splice)

hours per week vs hours per day — not directly comparable

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: Concept splice (Plan 004 Measure guard): Ramey measures unpaid home production (food prep, cleaning, clothing care, childcare, purchasing, management) for prime-age women and men separately, ages 18-64, in hours/week. ATUS (us-2020s-time-use, source bls-atus) measures 'household activities' for all adults 15+ in hrs/day, without gender breakdown in the headline figure. The two series are NOT directly comparable: (1) different activity definitions (Ramey's 'home production' is broader than ATUS 'household activities'), (2) different populations (prime-age vs all-adult), (3) different units (weekly vs daily). When plotted on the same axis, this splice must carry a caveat banner. The Ramey series is the thesis spine (women's hours falling); ATUS is the modern anchor point.
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

What had arrived

What had arrived · 2020s
96%A

Adults who use the internet, 2025

% of U.S. adults who use the internet (at least occasionally)

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/Broadband Fact Sheet, data extracted from embedded JSON (survey data through June 2025). Up from 52% in 2000 (first Pew measurement). By community type (2024): Urban 96%, Suburban 98%, Rural 95%. By age (2025): 18-29: 99%, 30-49: 99%, 50-64: 96%, 65+: 90%.
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.
Assumption: The composite family
What had arrived · 2020s
78%A

Adults with home broadband, 2025

% of U.S. adults with home broadband subscription

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/Broadband Fact Sheet, data extracted from embedded JSON (survey June 2025). Down from 80% in 2023 — broadband adoption has plateaued. By race (2025): White 81%, Black 71%, Hispanic 68%, Asian 86%. The gap between internet use (96%) and home broadband (78%) reflects mobile-only access.
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.
Assumption: The composite family
What had arrived · 2020s
Cell phone 92.7%, landline 20.1%, garage/carport 67.6%A

Phone service and vehicle access, 2023 (AHS)

percent of 133.2M occupied units

MeasuredU.S. housing units (national sample)
provenance
American Housing Survey (AHS)
U.S. Census Bureau (sponsored by HUD), 2024 · source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From AHS 2023 National Table 2 (Rooms, Size, and Amenities). Cell phone available: 123,462K (92.7%). Landline available: 26,749K (20.1%) — landline has become a secondary channel. Garage or carport: 90,044K (67.6%). No complete bathroom: only 135K units (0.1%). For comparison with 1950: telephone was not asked in the 1950 Census (added 1960); automobile was also not asked (added 1960). The 1950 Census did ask about radio (95.6%), TV (12.3%), refrigerator (80.0%).
Source note: Started 1973, biennial/annual. Tracks tenure, rooms, amenities (plumbing, kitchen, telephone, automobile in some years), housing costs. Table Creator: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs/data/interactive/ahstablecreator.html. Historical reports at HUDUser: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/ahs/ahs_1999.pdf
Assumption: The composite family
What had arrived · 2020s
91.5% (8.5% with no vehicle)A

Households with at least one vehicle, 2023

% of occupied households

MeasuredAll occupied housing units in the United States
provenance
ACS Table B25045: Tenure by Vehicles Available by Age of Householder
U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 · source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From ACS Table B25045 (latest 5-year estimates via Census Reporter). 132.7M households total. No vehicle: 11.3M (8.5%). Owner-occupied no-vehicle: 2.88M (3.3% of owners). Renter-occupied no-vehicle: 8.43M (18.3% of renters). Vehicle access tracks tenure and income — car-free households are concentrated in dense urban areas and among renters.
Source note: Retrieved via Census Reporter API. 132.7M households: 91.5% with 1+ vehicles, 8.5% with no vehicle. Owner no-vehicle: 2.88M (3.3% of owners). Renter no-vehicle: 8.43M (18.3% of renters).
What had arrived · 2020s
88% (two-thirds central AC)A

Households using air conditioning, 2020

% of households

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 2020 RECS (EIA). 88% of US households use AC. Two-thirds use central AC or central heat pump as main AC equipment. By region: Midwest 92%, South 93%, Northeast lower (older housing stock). In 1960, only 18.8% of households had AC — the diffusion arc is one of the steepest material improvements in the museum.
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 · 2020s
Natural gas 47%, electricity 42%, other 11%A

Primary heating fuel, 2024

% of households by primary space heating fuel

MeasuredAll US households / occupied housing units (ACS 1-year national sample)
provenance
American Community Survey (ACS) 1-Year Estimates
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 · source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From 2024 ACS 1-year estimates, Table B25040 (House Heating Fuel). Natural gas: 47% (down from 49% in 2010). Electricity: 42% (up sharply, gaining on gas). Other: propane, fuel oil, wood. (Source re-pointed from eia-recs 2026-07-07: the figures are ACS, not RECS.) The shift from coal to gas to electricity is a century-long arc: in 1940 coal was dominant, by 1950 gas and oil were replacing it, by 2020s electricity is gaining. Fuel oil heating is now <5% nationally but persists in older Northeast housing stock.
Source note: Annual survey replacing the decennial long form (2005→). Used here for homeownership rate, median home value (B25077), house heating fuel (B25040). Distinct from the AHS (census-ahs): different sample, different sponsor, different questionnaire — do not conflate the two.

A day's work buys

A day's work buys · 2020s
313.7A

Consumer Price Index, 2024

CPI-U, 1982-84=100, annual average

MeasuredAll Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. city average, all items
provenance
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items in U.S. City Average (CPIAUCNS)
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (source: BLS), 2024 · source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: From FRED CPIAUCNS (not seasonally adjusted). Annual average of 12 monthly observations for 2024.
Source note: Not seasonally adjusted. Coverage: 1913-present, monthly. Use for deflation and real-wage calculations across all decades.
Assumption: Values are shown in period money
A day's work buys · 2020s
$1.00 in 1950 = $13.03 in 2024A

Purchasing power: 1950 vs 2024

CPI-U ratio (313.7 / 24.1)

MeasuredAll Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. city average, all items
provenance
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items in U.S. City Average (CPIAUCNS)
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (source: BLS), 2024 · source
Confidence: A — Official series
Curator note: Same computation as the 1950s room: 2024 CPI (313.7) / 1950 CPI (24.1) = 13.03. The median family income rose from $3,319 to $105,800 — a factor of 31.9, far exceeding inflation (13.0x). Real median family income approximately tripled.
Source note: Not seasonally adjusted. Coverage: 1913-present, monthly. Use for deflation and real-wage calculations across all decades.
Assumption: Values are shown in period money
A day's work buys · 2020s
3.0x ($35,290 → $105,800 in 2024 dollars, Census-published real series)A

Real median family income growth, 1950-2024

real (CPI-adjusted) median family income

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 Table F-8's own 2024-dollar column (C-CPI-U-RS adjusted): 1950 all-family median = $35,290 in 2024 dollars vs 2024 median = $105,800, a factor of 3.0. Alternative deflator: using raw CPI-U (CPIAUCNS, 13.03x per us-2020s-purchasing-power-comparison) gives $3,319 × 13.03 = $43,246, a factor of 2.4x — CPI-U-RS corrects known overstatement of early inflation, so the published 3.0x is primary. CORRECTION 2026-07-07: this fact previously displayed '3.1x ($25,633 → $79,490)', figures traceable to no source in the registry.
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).
Assumption: The composite family
Assumption: Values are shown in period money
A day's work buys · 2020s · computed
≈ 2.58A

Median home value as years of median family income, 2024

years of four-person median family income

derivation
Computed by vitrine (ratio) — never authored by hand:
Numerator: $360,600 — Median home value, 2024 (ACS) A
Denominator: $139,900 — Median family income, four-person families, 2024 A
Confidence: A — Official series, the weakest input tier
Curator note: Both inputs Tier A (ACS B25077 home value; Census F-8 four-person income). Modestly above the 1950 ratio (see us-1950s-home-as-income-years) — but the composition shifted: mortgage rates, property taxes, and home size all changed, so 'years of income' understates the difference in monthly carrying cost. An earlier hand-authored version used a ~$420,000 home value from a secondary source; the ACS figure is lower.
Assumption: The composite family
Assumption: Values are shown in period money
Assumption: The affordability axis
Assumption: Why hours, not budget share

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.