The $27,230 Salary in 1988:
What It Really Bought
A complete breakdown of purchasing power across all salary tiers — then vs. now.
Purchasing Power Gap
Earning $27,230 in 1988 had the purchasing power of
$72,221
in today's dollars.
Median Home (1988)
$112,225
Median Home (Today)
$418,975
Salary Tier Breakdown
| Salary | Inflation-Adjusted Today | Yrs for Home (1988) | Yrs for Home (Today) | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $79,568 | 3.7 yrs | 14.0 yrs | Much harder today |
| $40,000 | $106,091 | 2.8 yrs | 10.5 yrs | Much harder today |
| $50,000 | $132,614 | 2.2 yrs | 8.4 yrs | Much harder today |
| $60,000 | $159,137 | 1.9 yrs | 7.0 yrs | Much harder today |
| $75,000 | $198,921 | 1.5 yrs | 5.6 yrs | Much harder today |
| $100,000 | $265,228 | 1.1 yrs | 4.2 yrs | Much harder today |
What Your $27,230 Salary Bought
How many units of each item one year's median salary could buy in 1988 vs. today's $83,730 median income.
🎓 College Tuition
-54%1988 Salary Bought
17
years @ $1,646
Today's Salary Buys
8
years @ $10,940
🥚 Eggs
-23%1988 Salary Bought
34,490
dozens @ $0.79
Today's Salary Buys
26,401
dozens @ $3.17
🥩 Ground Beef
-22%1988 Salary Bought
19,952
lbs @ $1.36
Today's Salary Buys
15,526
lbs @ $5.39
🏥 Doctor Visit
-16%1988 Salary Bought
963
visits @ $28.27
Today's Salary Buys
809
visits @ $104
⛽ Gas
-16%1988 Salary Bought
28,779
gallons @ $0.95
Today's Salary Buys
24,278
gallons @ $3.45
🥓 Bacon
-15%1988 Salary Bought
14,458
lbs @ $1.88
Today's Salary Buys
12,356
lbs @ $6.78
🚗 New Car
-11%1988 Salary Bought
2
units @ $13,932
Today's Salary Buys
2
units @ $48,397
🏠 Monthly Rent
-6%1988 Salary Bought
68
months @ $403
Today's Salary Buys
63
months @ $1,323
🍞 Bread
~Same1988 Salary Bought
44,433
loafs @ $0.61
Today's Salary Buys
42,494
loafs @ $1.97
🍊 Oranges
+23%1988 Salary Bought
11,068
lbs @ $2.46
Today's Salary Buys
13,653
lbs @ $6.13
🐔 Chicken
+31%1988 Salary Bought
31,898
lbs @ $0.85
Today's Salary Buys
41,898
lbs @ $2.00
☕ Coffee
+35%1988 Salary Bought
9,834
lbs @ $2.77
Today's Salary Buys
13,244
lbs @ $6.32
⚡ Electricity
+40%1988 Salary Bought
340,375
KWHs @ $0.08
Today's Salary Buys
476,641
KWHs @ $0.18
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