In 1960, "Theme from A Summer Place" topped the charts, Psycho packed theaters, a stamp cost 4¢, the average home went for about $11,900.
🎵 Top songs of 1960
"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy Faith & His Orchestra
"It's Now or Never" — Elvis Presley
"The Twist" — Chubby Checker
🎬 In theaters
Psycho
Spartacus
The Apartment
What things cost in 1960
$0.31
Gallon of gas
4¢
Postage stamp
$0.69
Movie ticket
$1.00
Gallon of milk
$11,900
Average home
$2,600
New car
$5,620
Household income
A $0.31 gallon of gas in 1960 has the buying power of roughly $3.30 in 2024 dollars. A 4¢ stamp is around 43¢ today, and a $0.69 movie ticket is about $7.35.
The biggest moments of 1960
The Kennedy–Nixon presidential debates aired — the first televised U.S. debates.
Theodore Maiman demonstrated the first working laser at Hughes Research Laboratories.
Harper Lee published To Kill a Mockingbird in July.
Senators John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon held the first televised U.S. presidential debate on September 26 — about 70 million Americans tuned in.
On May 16, Theodore Maiman demonstrated the first working laser at Hughes Research Laboratories.
The U-2 incident in May — when an American spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union — derailed the Paris peace summit.
Toys, TV & trends of 1960
Chubby Checker's "The Twist" launched a national dance craze on Dick Clark's American Bandstand.
Etch A Sketch and Chatty Cathy dolls were the must-have toys of the year.
The "lounge cocktail" Rat Pack vibe — sharp suits, martinis, and Sinatra — defined adult style.
The Flintstones premiered on ABC in September as the first prime-time animated sitcom for adults.
Greenwich Village was the heart of the American folk-music revival, with a young Bob Dylan arriving the next year.
Barbie's boyfriend Ken hit toy shelves in March, two years after Barbie's 1959 debut.
The music scene
1960 was a transitional year for pop music — easy-listening orchestrations (Percy Faith) shared the charts with early rock and R&B. Elvis Presley returned from Army service and scored two #1s ("Stuck on You" and "It's Now or Never"). Chubby Checker's "The Twist" launched a nationwide dance craze that would dominate the next two years.
At the movies
Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho reinvented the modern thriller in June. The Apartment (Billy Wilder) won the Best Picture Oscar for 1960. Spartacus (Stanley Kubrick) was the year's box-office champion. The Magnificent Seven and Inherit the Wind were also major hits.
Cartoons kids loved
The Flintstones
Huckleberry Hound
Yogi Bear
Hanna-Barbera reshaped TV animation in 1960. The Flintstones premiered in September on ABC — the first prime-time animated series for adults, drawing comparisons to The Honeymooners. Huckleberry Hound and Yogi Bear continued their syndication dominance after debuting the prior year.
The world in 1960
World population: about 3.0 billion
U.S. President: Dwight D. Eisenhower (Kennedy elected in November)
The first oral contraceptive ("the Pill") was approved by the FDA.
On May 1, an American U-2 spy plane piloted by Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union, triggering an international crisis.
Senator John F. Kennedy defeated Vice President Richard Nixon for the U.S. presidency in November in one of the closest elections in modern American history.
Seventeen African nations gained their independence in what became known as the "Year of Africa."
1960 birthday questions
How old is someone born in 1960?
Someone born in 1960 turns 66 in 2026 (65 if their birthday has not come round yet).
What was the number one song in 1960?
"Theme from A Summer Place" by Percy Faith & His Orchestra was among the biggest hits of 1960.
What movie came out in 1960?
Psycho was one of the films packing theaters in 1960.
How much did gas cost in 1960?
A gallon of gas ran about $0.31 in 1960, and a postage stamp cost 4¢.
How much did a house cost in 1960?
The average home went for roughly $11,900 in 1960, against a typical household income of about $5,620.