The Cost of Living Among Wage-Earners

A vivid snapshot of post‑World War I America, this study turns its focus to Fall River, Massachusetts—a bustling textile hub where thousands of families struggled to keep a household afloat. By examining the expenses of a typical wage‑earner’s family—father, mother and three children under fourteen—the report paints a clear picture of what “minimum” and “somewhat better” standards of living meant in October 1919. The opening pages lay out detailed tables that break down weekly food costs, clothing allowances, and the price of everyday sundries, offering listeners a concrete sense of the era’s economic pressures.

The investigation blends hard data with on‑the‑ground observation, as researchers toured neighborhoods, visited stores, and even attended a dance for women workers to gauge real‑world spending habits. Their method, while based on hypothetical budgets, draws from a wide range of local sources—retailers, coal dealers, and community agencies—to produce averages that feel strikingly authentic. Listeners will gain insight into how wages, inflation, and daily necessities intersected during a pivotal five‑year stretch, revealing the human side of statistical trends in early twentieth‑century industrial America.