The 2010s: Slow Recovery, Rising Inequality
The 2010s were a decade of gradual recovery from the Great Recession. Inflation stayed tame, gas prices fell sharply after 2014, and the stock market hit record after record. But housing costs, healthcare premiums, and student debt all surged, squeezing households from multiple directions.
Decade Highlights
- Gas peaked at $3.64 in 2012 then fell to $2.14 by 2016.
- Home prices recovered and exceeded their pre-crash highs by 2017.
- New car average transaction prices crossed $30,000 for the first time.
What Things Cost in the 2010s
Gallon of Gas
$2.79 - $2.60
New Car
$22,450 - $32,200
Dozen Eggs
$1.78
Gallon of Milk
$3.44
Loaf of Bread
$1.42
Movie Ticket
$8.50
Minimum Wage
$7.25/hr (unchanged)
Median Home
~$321,500
Explore the Full Data
Dive into the year-by-year numbers for each dataset.