The $28,910 Salary in 1989:
What It Really Bought
A complete breakdown of purchasing power across all salary tiers — then vs. now.
Purchasing Power Gap
Earning $28,910 in 1989 had the purchasing power of
$73,172
in today's dollars.
Median Home (1989)
$120,425
Median Home (Today)
$418,975
Salary Tier Breakdown
| Salary | Inflation-Adjusted Today | Yrs for Home (1989) | Yrs for Home (Today) | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $75,930 | 4.0 yrs | 14.0 yrs | Much harder today |
| $40,000 | $101,240 | 3.0 yrs | 10.5 yrs | Much harder today |
| $50,000 | $126,551 | 2.4 yrs | 8.4 yrs | Much harder today |
| $60,000 | $151,861 | 2.0 yrs | 7.0 yrs | Much harder today |
| $75,000 | $189,826 | 1.6 yrs | 5.6 yrs | Much harder today |
| $100,000 | $253,101 | 1.2 yrs | 4.2 yrs | Much harder today |
What Your $28,910 Salary Bought
How many units of each item one year's median salary could buy in 1989 vs. today's $83,730 median income.
🎓 College Tuition
-53%1989 Salary Bought
16
years @ $1,780
Today's Salary Buys
8
years @ $10,940
🥓 Bacon
-24%1989 Salary Bought
16,363
lbs @ $1.77
Today's Salary Buys
12,356
lbs @ $6.78
🥩 Ground Beef
-23%1989 Salary Bought
20,079
lbs @ $1.44
Today's Salary Buys
15,526
lbs @ $5.39
⛽ Gas
-14%1989 Salary Bought
28,283
gallons @ $1.02
Today's Salary Buys
24,278
gallons @ $3.45
🚗 New Car
-14%1989 Salary Bought
2
units @ $14,371
Today's Salary Buys
2
units @ $48,397
🏥 Doctor Visit
-13%1989 Salary Bought
934
visits @ $30.94
Today's Salary Buys
809
visits @ $104
🥚 Eggs
-9%1989 Salary Bought
28,973
dozens @ $1.00
Today's Salary Buys
26,401
dozens @ $3.17
🏠 Monthly Rent
-8%1989 Salary Bought
69
months @ $418
Today's Salary Buys
63
months @ $1,323
🍞 Bread
~Same1989 Salary Bought
43,436
loafs @ $0.67
Today's Salary Buys
42,494
loafs @ $1.97
🍊 Oranges
+23%1989 Salary Bought
11,120
lbs @ $2.60
Today's Salary Buys
13,653
lbs @ $6.13
🐔 Chicken
+34%1989 Salary Bought
31,187
lbs @ $0.93
Today's Salary Buys
41,898
lbs @ $2.00
⚡ Electricity
+35%1989 Salary Bought
353,279
KWHs @ $0.08
Today's Salary Buys
476,641
KWHs @ $0.18
☕ Coffee
+41%1989 Salary Bought
9,409
lbs @ $3.07
Today's Salary Buys
13,244
lbs @ $6.32
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