[Mikey_1962]

Median Income (Men)*
1965 $28,599
1975 $33,148
1985 $42,847
1995 $39,186
2005 $41,386


* All figures in 2005 inflation-adjusted dollars

Median Income (Women)
1965 $9,533 (33% of men)
1975 $12,697 (38% of men)
1985 $27,720 (65% of men)
1995 $27,990 (71% of men)
2005 $31.858 (77% of men)

Household Net Worth
1965 $254,740
1975 $268,234
1985 $292,143
1995 $345,321
2005 $465,970

Personal Savings Rate
1965 8.5%
1975 10.5%
1985 11%
1995 5%
2005 -0.4% (I don't think this includes 401K or houses)

Top Federal Tax Rate
1965 70%
1975 70%
1985 31%
1995 40%
2005 35%

Misery Index (Inflation Plus Unemployment)
1965 6.1%
1975 17.7%
1985 10.7%
1995 8.4%
2005 8.5%

Changes in Purchasing Power
1965 -
1975 10 years: -1.3%
1985 10 years: 0.1% 20 years: -1.2%
1995 10 years: 1.8% 20 years: 1.9% 30 years: 0.6%
2005 10 years: 5.7% 20 years: 8.0% 30 year: 7.5% 40 years: 6.2%

Home Ownership Percentage
1965 63%
1975 68%
1985 64%
1995 65%
2005 69%

Productivity Increases Since 1965
1965 (baseline)
1975 +24%
1985 +42%
1995 +66%
2005 +220%

Percentage of Women in Workforce
1965 34%
1975 39%
1985 44%
1995 46%
2005 46%

Compensation of CEO of largest U.S. Corporation vs. Median Household
In actual dollars for each year

1965 Frederick Donner/General Motors 3.9 million (med. household income = 0.2%)
1975 Ken Jamieson/Exxon $469,550 (med. household income = 3%)
1985 Clifton Garvin/Exxon $1.5 million (med. household income = 2%)
1995 John Smith/General Motors $7 million (med. household income = 0.6%)
2005 Lee Scott/Wal-Mart $19 million (med. household income = 0.2%)


Compensation of highly paid athlete vs. Median Household
In actual dollars for each year

1965 Joe Namath/football $142,333 (med. household income = 5%)
1975 Pele/soccer $1.5 million (median household income = 0.8%)
1985 Mike Schmidt/baseball $2.1 million (median household income = 1.1%)
1995 Michael Jordan/basketball $40 million (median household income = 0.1%)
2005 Tiger Woods/golf $87 million (median household income = 0.1%)

[Gay State Conservative]

I remember when Bill Russell of the Celtics signed a $100,000 a year contract in the mid 60's.That got wall to wall coverage (around Boston,at least) for days and days.

[Gay State Conservative]

BTW,where do these figures come from? The stats I've read about household net worth are much lower than the ones that you've posted.

[B4Ranch]

In '65 a new car ran about $3500, now $35,000. Houses have made almost the same jump.

[RockinRight]

So what you're saying is that we were the best-off when Reagan was President?

Makes sense.

[george76]

Top Federal Tax Rate
1965 70%
1975 70%
1985 31%
1995 40%
2005 35%

Home Ownership Percentage
1965 63%
1975 68%
1985 64%
1995 65%
2005 69%

[LouD]

Interesting how Top Federal Tax Rate and Median Income are inversely correlated, isn't it?