Remix.run Logo
mytailorisrich 5 hours ago

Anything that has only kept up with inflation over the last 50 years is cheaper today than it was 50 years ago relative to people's incomes, which is the relevant definition of "cheaper".

Not sure exactly how Lego prices have evolved but, as others have said, Lego is a brand and is unique. Their sale prices have little to do with their costs.

autoexec 5 hours ago | parent [-]

For most people anything that has only kept up with inflation over the last 50 years is more expense today than it was 50 years ago because wages have stagnated while prices have soared.

mytailorisrich 4 hours ago | parent [-]

No, that's not the case.

For instance, the median household income in the United States in 1976 was $12,686. That's $72,857.55 today based on inflation (Google/Census Bureau Data + online inflation calculator).

However, Google's AI overview says "As of early 2026, the median household income in the United States is estimated to be approximately $84,000."

So the the median household income in the US today is about $11,000 ahead of inflation since 1976. People in the US are richer now that they were then.

autoexec 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

> in real terms average hourly earnings peaked more than 45 years ago: The $4.03-an-hour rate recorded in January 1973 had the same purchasing power that $23.68 would today. (https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2018/08/07/for-most-...)

rfrey 21 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Now what about the change in the number of earners per household? Houses don't earn wages, people do.

galaxyLogic 4 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Ok, but, what about median household size? Shouldn't we calculate the "richness" based not on how much each household makes but how much each member of a household gets from it? My guess is that households are smaller these days, but don't know.

mytailorisrich 4 hours ago | parent [-]

Well if today's households are smaller that makes them even richer (more money split over fewer people).