The 1918 influenza outbreak was the deadliest pandemic of the twentieth century. Analysis of a 1918/9 cost-of-living survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals significant differences in household spending in ninety-nine cities at different stages of the pandemic. On average, households surveyed later in the pandemic spent about $100, or 6 percent, less than households surveyed earlier, reflecting corresponding differences in average income. The most substantial spending reductions occurred for durable goods and services, driven by changes in both prices paid and quantities purchased.

The recent surge in computing power and access to data-processing software and online resources enables historians to capture historical statistics on a much larger scale than before. The data revolution—encompassing unprecedented advances in data transcription, augmentation, and collaboration—is especially valuable for studying the history of regions where written records are scarce, such as sub-Saharan Africa. The digitization of large numbers of colonial and postcolonial records offers much promise for a greater understanding of Africa’s economic past.