The 1970s were no freewheeling economic joyride for the American middle class. For the average household, life was a mix of post-war frugality, rising consumerism, and a very different idea of what counted as a “splurge.” Inflation ran wild — averaging 7% for the decade and hitting double digits by the end — yet most families managed with what they had.
Here are 15 things the middle class spent money on in the ’70s.
Back in the ’70s, if you were middle class, you bought a house. "In the past, if you were middle class, it was almost assumed you would become a homeowner," Ali Wolf, chief economist of the building consultancyZonda toldRealtor.com "Today, You have to be wealthy or lucky."
The median home value went from $26,000 to about $59,000 through the decade, while household income rose from $9,800 to nearly $18,000. Many middle-class families — especially outside major coastal cities, bought modest three-bedroom homes in that price range, often on a single income from a factory job, civil service position, or retail work.
In the 1970s, most middle-class households had one car, and they made it work. Unlike today’s car-centric parenting culture, school drop-offs weren’t a thing — kids took the bus, walked, or rode bikes. A second car was nice to have, not a default.
Cars weren’t cheap, either. A new family car cost, for example, a 1973 Chevrolet Impala, was priced around $3,200($24,002 in today's dollars) — a big chunk of a household’s annual income, which hovered between $10,000 and $18,000 that decade. Then came the gas crisis. Between 1973 and 1980, gas prices more than tripled, jumping from 36 cents to over $1.25 a gallon. So families budgeted around one vehicle, to handle grocery runs, road trips, and hauling the kids.
In the early ’70s, hardly anyone had a microwave — they were expensive and bulky. At the start of the ’70s,barely 40,000 unitshad been sold in the whole country. But by 1975, over a million had made it into American homes. That boom came fast, and it hit the middle class hard once brands like Sharp started selling smaller, more affordable countertop models in the late ’70s.
The real shift came in the late ’70s, when brands like Sharp rolled out smaller, lower-cost countertop models. That’s when microwaves started showing up in more kitchens — not as a status symbol, but as a practical upgrade. By 1980, about 15% of American households owned one, and the number kept climbing from there.
For most middle-class families, a road trip was the most affordable way to make summer feel like summer. Flying was expensive, resorts were for the rich, and no one said “all-inclusive.” in the ’70s,a vacation meant piling into the car — often a station wagon — and hitting the road. Motels cost $20 to $30 a night, and meals were often packed in a cooler: sandwiches, chips, and maybe a jug of Kool-Aid. Fast food wasn’t an everyday thing yet, so eating out felt like a treat — not a routine.
By the 1970s, if you were middle class, you probably had a TV — and you probably wanted a color one. Black-and-white sets were still around, especially in bedrooms or basements, but color had become the goal.
In 1972, about 50% of U.S. households had a color television. By 1980, that number was up to around 80%. That decade made color TV mainstream, and middle-class families made room for it — literally. Many sets were built into wooden consoles that doubled as shelving or stood like sideboards. RCA, Zenith, and Magnavox were the brands everyone trusted.
TV became a shared evening ritual. Families gathered around for "The Brady Bunch," "MASH*," or "The Price Is Right," and no one dared touch the dials without asking first.
Not every middle-class family could afford a summer trip to Disneyland, but they could afford a tent. Camping was the budget vacation of the ’70s, and once you bought the gear, you were set for years.
Families saved up, shopped the Sears catalog, and — one cheap nylon tent, a Coleman stove, sleeping bags, folding chairs, mosquito spray, and cans of SpaghettiOs later — you were about to start your great outdoorsy adventure.
National parks and public campgrounds were cheap — often just a few dollars per night, or free if you didn’t mind primitive setups.
In the ’70s, buying clothes often meant putting them on layaway. You’d choose what you needed — school outfits, winter coats, church shoes — and pay in small installments. Layaway was especially popular at stores likeJCPenney, and Montgomery Ward, where middle-class families could stretch their paychecks and still keep up with seasonal wardrobes.
Before scrolling the news in bed, middle-class families in the ’70s got their headlines the old-fashioned way: printed, folded, and tossed at the front door — usually by a 12-year-old pedaling a Schwinn before school.
Whether it was The Chicago Tribune, The Dallas Morning News, or The Boston Globe, most families subscribed to at least one daily and one Sunday edition, and often a few magazines too (TV Guide, Reader’s Digest, National Geographic). It was a small monthly cost and a normal part of the household budget.
Before the internet, this was Google, and any respectable ’70s household had at least one shelf lined with matching hardcover encyclopedias — usually Britannica. They were almost always sold by a door-to-door salesman, who convinced your mom it was an investment in your education.
A full set could run a small fortune, but was often paid off in monthly installments.
Every middle-class home had “the good dishes.” Usually gifted at a wedding or bought on layaway, they lived behind glass and only came out for Christmas or when your mom wanted to prove she had her life together. You didn’t eat off them. A full set could cost a few hundred dollars, which meant it wasn’t something you picked up on a whim — it was bought carefully or gifted thoughtfully.
If you were middle class in the ’70s, you had a recliner — and it was Dad’s. La-Z-Boy, Naugahyde, corduroy, didn’t matter. It was oversized, leaned back with a clunk, and no one else was allowed to sit in it during the news or the game. It cost quite a lot, though, surely it wasn’t pocket change. But, nevertheless, it was worth it.
We've gotten too lazy to go to the cinema nowadays, and that’s just sad. But in the ’70s, going to the movies was what you did on a Friday night.
And with good reason. "Jaws," "Star Wars," "The Godfather," "Grease," "Rocky" — the decade was stacked. A movie ticket cost about $2, which meant you could take the whole family, grab popcorn, and still have change for a soda.
Crock-Pots exploded in popularity in the 1970s. Launched nationally in 1971, they were marketed as the answer to busy families and working moms who still had to get dinner on the table.
They didn’t need supervision and made tough cuts of meat edible. You’d dump in ingredients before work and come home to something hot, filling, and borderline overcooked — but nobody complained.
The 1970s were the high point of vinyl. Albums sold in the hundreds of millions —over 300 million LPs a year by the end of the decade — and everyone from teenagers to dads in recliners was buying them. And no wonder why, this was the era of Fleetwood Mac, Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, Pink Floyd, and The Bee Gees.
Doorbells rang often in middle-class neighborhoods thanks to the Avon Lady. Avon was affordable, practical makeup delivered straight to your living room. Avon ladies often knew the neighborhood gossip better than anyone else. Of course, none of them actually found a misunderstood, scissor-handed Johnny Depp hiding out in the attic — but hey, a girl could dream.