The Price of Living in Pioneer Snohomish
A look at the cost of goods and the local economy in 1880s Snohomish, from the price of work oxen to the cost of a barrel of flour.
SNOHOMISH CITY MARKET REPORT: Choice Cows, $20.00 to $50.00; Work Oxen, per yoke, $80.00 to $125.00; Beef cattle, on foot, 4 cents per lb; Horses, per head, $80.00 to $125.00; Sheep, per head, $3.50 to $4.00; Hogs, on foot, 5 cents per lb. Flour, per bbl, $3.75; Wheat, per bushel, $1.00 to $1.25; Butter, per lb, 35 cents; Hides, per lb, 5 cents; Potatoes, per bushel, $1.00; Oats, per bushel, 75 cents; Ground Barley, per ton, $30.00; Hay, per ton, $10.00. Dried Apples, per lb, 12 cents.
“Choice Cows, $20.00 to $50.00; Work Oxen, per yoke, $80.00 to $125.00.”
This market report from the 1880s offers a fascinating snapshot of the local agricultural economy that anchored Snohomish before its transition into a modern suburb. While today's residents struggle with the high cost of housing and commercial rents, pioneer-era settlers faced a radically different volatility tied to the price of draft oxen and grain sacks, illustrating how the fundamental challenge of 'affordability' in Snohomish has persisted across centuries.
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