“Kevin home alone”
Economists calculate family wealth
How much does the house where Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) is left alone cost?
© 1990 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved.
How rich is the family from “Home Alone” really? Economists have now done the math.
How much money does the MacCallister family have to have to be able to afford the house in which they leave their offspring in “Home Alone”? Fans of the 1990 cult film ask themselves this question every year when they watch the modern Christmas classic again during the holidays. The New York Times has now investigated this. In addition to people involved in “Home Alone,” the newspaper also interviewed economists.
The house where Kevin (Macaulay Culkin, 43) and his parents live is real – even if the interior shots were shot in the studio. The building is located at 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka. The Chicago suburb is one of the most expensive residential areas in the United States, according to a real estate website cited by the New York Times.
The MacCallisters are part of the one percent
According to estimates, the MacCallister house would cost $2.4 million today. Both today and in 1990, only the richest one percent of Chicagoans could afford such a property. This was the result of calculations by economists who took into account taxes, insurance and mortgages for the New York Times.
To afford the house, a family would have had to have an annual income of at least $305,000 in 1990. Today it would be $665,000.
How do the MacCallisters get money?
The house isn’t the only indicator of the MacCallisters’ wealth. Including Uncle Frank’s entourage, 15 people end up flying to Paris – the four adults in first class. But in the film it is mentioned that Uncle Rob pays for the tickets. He lives in Paris in an apartment with a view of the Eiffel Tower and can accommodate 15 people. Not a sign of poverty either.
Of course, it’s difficult to say how rich the MacCallisters really are. Especially since Kevin’s parents’ professions are never mentioned. In the novelization of Home Alone, mother Kate is described as a fashion designer, father Peter is simply described as a businessman. Those responsible for the film, who spoke in the “New York Times”, state that no one gave any thought to the family’s income during filming. But everything should look a little more glamorous than in reality, admits an outfitter.
For many fans, however, it is clear where the money comes from. According to popular theory Frank MacCallister has something to do with organized crime…