Ever wonder how much the McCallister family from “Home Alone” had to be worth, with their big brick house and Christmas Paris vacation?
Well, a few financial experts believe they have the answers. The New York Times convened economists from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (the house from the movie is still in near-Chicago Winnetka, IL.) to figure out the numbers.
According to the report, in 1990 (year of the movie’s release) the McCallister family home could have been afforded by the top 1% of Chicago area households with an income of roughly $305,500 ($665,000 in 2022).
Currently, the actual home has a Zillow estimate, off-market, of around $2.34 million. The Times’ money experts believe based on that asking price, it would only be affordable to those with a higher household income of $730,000.
The economists say Kevin McCallister’s (Macaulay Culkin in the movie) parents and owners of the home wouldn’t have even been the wealthiest characters in the film.
That honor would have went to the character of Uncle Rob (Ray Toler).
The article points out that Rob was the one who paid for the entire extended family to fly to Paris (before leaving Kevin at home), with all adults sitting first class.
“Home Alone” was released in 1990 and was directed by Christopher Columbus. The movie starred McCaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, and Catherine O’Hara.