Historic Prices

Overview

From 1900 to 2014, the prices listed in this survey were published in the Daily Record [Morristown, New Jersey] newspaper, the first fifteen days of selected months each decade.

From 2015 to current, prices were expanded to stores found in Morris County. 

Staple items in several popular consumer categories were selected:

  • automobiles
  • clothing
  • food & beverages
  • furniture
  • household goods
  • newspapers
  • personal care & health
  • real estate
  • recreation
  • electronics (starting in 2023)

Whenever possible, we selected items/brands (televisions, garden hoses, breakfast cereal) found in today’s stores. This makes it possible to take a 1945 “shopping list” to your local supermarket or department store and compare prices.

Additional Resources

Average U.S. Price Data

The U.S. Dept. of Labor, U.S. Dept. of Energy, and other federal agencies track retail prices for various items throughout the country. Historical data varies by commodity and is not brand-specific. Some commodity prices are also reported by region.

Useful sources include:

Measuring value

If a man’s suit cost $30.00 in 1934, how much would that be in “today’s” dollars? You can use:

A note about wartime prices

Food, gasoline and other essential items are often precious commodities during wartime. Prices are determined by availability and governmental regulation. In World War I, our federal government established the U.S. Food Administration, headed by Herbert Hoover. During World War II the Office of Price Administration (1942-1945) set the prices of various consumer goods to stabilize the economy in the United States. War ration books were required to purchase some items.

Teacher tips

Finding local historic prices is a great project, as long as you can be flexible with the items.

  • Contact your local public library before assigning this project and ask if it owns historic local papers on microfilm. If not, the librarians can direct you to the closest holding library.
  • Stick with the basics: bread, soap, shampoo, mattresses, movie tickets, automobiles. Specific brands can be difficult, if not impossible, to find.
  • Pick a specific week of the year to deflect the seasonal nature of pricing. Some items are best found in specific seasons (for example, school supplies in September, or toys in December).