A farm laborer in the Northeast earned about $0.59 per day in 1850, totaling just $184 annually. These workers faced grueling days, typically working from sunrise to sunset, for barely enough income to afford basic necessities, such as $0.05 for a loaf of bread—highlighting how different life was compared to today, where even the most basic needs were a struggle to secure.
Farm Laborers Pay Wages – Northeast 1850
