1986 vs Today
The purchasing power of the median household has collapsed. See the data from 1986 below.
1986
Median Income
$24,900
House Price
$92,025
Today
Median Income
$83,730
House Price
$418,975
Cost of Living: 1986 Prices
🛒 Food & Groceries
🥚 Eggs
→1986
$0.87
Today
$3.17
Labor ×
1.1x
per dozen
🍞 Bread
→1986
$0.56
Today
$1.97
Labor ×
1.0x
per loaf
🥩 Ground Beef
→1986
$1.23
Today
$5.39
Labor ×
1.3x
per lb
🐔 Chicken
→1986
$0.83
Today
$2.00
Labor ×
0.7x
per lb
🥓 Bacon
→1986
$2.08
Today
$6.78
Labor ×
1.0x
per lb
☕ Coffee
→1986
$3.43
Today
$6.32
Labor ×
0.5x
per lb
🍊 Oranges
→1986
$2.36
Today
$6.13
Labor ×
0.8x
per lb
🏠 Housing & Utilities
🚗 Transportation
Salary Purchasing Power
The median income in 1986 was $24,900. Adjusted for inflation, that's equivalent to $71,209 today.
See full salary reality check for 1986 →