Wages for men under the age of 25 peaked in 1958. Afterwards, the loss of good paying low-skill agricultural and industrial jobs lowered wages for the young. Wa

Wages for men under the age of 25 peaked in 1958. Afterwards, the loss of good paying low-skill agricultural and industrial jobs lowered wages for the young. Wages went up on average but only because wages for skilled jobs went up dramatically after 1958. Strong labor unions helped with that. 1958 was the all time peak year for the ratio of average wage to average rent, people were paying just 22% of the average wage on the average rent. This was also the peak year of the Baby Boom, partly because the rents were so cheap and it was so very easy for an 18 year old male to graduate from high school, get married and get his own place. In economic ways 1958 might have been the best year ever to be a young male, at least for whites. My oldest brother was born in 1957. My parents didn’t have health insurance so my dad had to pay cash. The bill was $40. Health insurance was less important when hospital prices were so cheap.