If you were born in 1962, you share a birth year with Walmart, Kmart, cassette tapes, Spider-Man, industrial robots, James Bond movies, and more. Tensions in the Cold War fall to their lowest point yet and folk music becomes increasingly popular.
Interesting Statistics from 1962
- U.S. population: 186.54 million
- Worldwide population: 4.38 billion
- Life expectancy: 70.1 years
- Price of gas: 28 cents per gallon
- Price of a new house: $12,500
- Annual income: $5,556
Top News in 1962
- The Cuban Missile Crisis occurs. The Soviet Union plants nuclear missiles on Cuban soil and President Kennedy threatens war if they are not removed.
- The Second Vatican Council begins to modernize the Catholic Church.
If You Were Born in 1962, Your Parents Witnessed These Historic Events
- The Beatles have their first hit, “Love Me Do.“
- Marilyn Monroe sings “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy. She dies a few months later.
- The U.S. places an embargo on Cuba.
- Over a thousand prisoners in Cuba are released to the U.S. in exchange for food and medicine.
- The Navy SEALS are created.
- The Space Needle is completed.
- A man is shot dead for attempting to cross the Berlin Wall.
- Algeria and Jamaica gain independence.
- John Glenn boards the Friendship 7 and becomes the first American to orbit Earth.
1962 Pop Culture
Sports
- 1962 World Series: New York Yankees defeat San Francisco Giants 4-3.
- 1962 NFL Championship: Green Bay Packers defeat New York Giants 16–7.
- 1962 NBA Championship: Boston Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers 4-3.
- 1962 Stanley Cup: Toronto Maple Leafs defeat Chicago Black Hawks 4-2.
Arts
- Top-grossing movies in 1962: “The Longest Day,” “Lawrence of Arabia,” “The Music Man”
- Top singles in 1962: “Stranger on the Shore,” “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” “Mashed Potato Time”
- Top books in 1962: “Ship of Fools,” “Calories Don’t Count,” “Pale Fire,” “A Clockwork Orange”
Who Else Was Born in 1962?
- Tom Cruise
- Jim Carrey
- Steve Carell
- Jon Bon Jovi
- Steve Irwin
- Tom Kenny
- Kafe Spade
- Thomas Gibson
Who Died in 1962?
- Niels Bohr
- William Faulkner
- Ernie Kovacs
- Eleanor Roosevelt