Born in 1956
What the world looked like the year you arrived: prices, names, music and who was in charge.
Chinese zodiac
Fire Monkey
from Feb 12, 1956. Born earlier? Goat.
Generation
Boomer
President
Dwight D. Eisenhower
#1 baby names
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What things cost
Sample dataGallon of gas
$0.29
US average, regular (1955 figure)
$3.43 in 2025 dollars
First-class stamp
3¢
US Postal Service
$0.36 in 2025 dollars
Minimum wage
$1.00/hr
federal
New home
—
records start in 1963
Movie ticket
—
records start in 1960
New car
—
records start in 1960
TV
$1,000
RCA CT-100 color TV (15-inch) (1954), launch price
$11,967 in 2025 dollars
US national figures in then-dollars, at mid-year. Some figures are estimates. Computer, game system and TV prices are launch prices of landmark models, and the game price is an approximate range for that era, so none of them is an average.
Pop culture
Sample dataPop culture for 1956 is still being added.
Famous people born in 1956
Sample dataFamous people born in 1956 are still being added.