1987 vs Today
The purchasing power of the median household has collapsed. See the data from 1987 below.
1987
Median Income
$26,060
House Price
$104,700
Today
Median Income
$83,730
House Price
$418,975
Cost of Living: 1987 Prices
🛒 Food & Groceries
🥚 Eggs
→1987
$0.78
Today
$3.17
Labor ×
1.3x
per dozen
🍞 Bread
→1987
$0.55
Today
$1.97
Labor ×
1.1x
per loaf
🥩 Ground Beef
→1987
$1.31
Today
$5.39
Labor ×
1.3x
per lb
🐔 Chicken
→1987
$0.78
Today
$2.00
Labor ×
0.8x
per lb
🥓 Bacon
→1987
$2.14
Today
$6.78
Labor ×
1.0x
per lb
☕ Coffee
→1987
$2.79
Today
$6.32
Labor ×
0.7x
per lb
🍊 Oranges
→1987
$2.46
Today
$6.13
Labor ×
0.8x
per lb
🏠 Housing & Utilities
🚗 Transportation
Salary Purchasing Power
The median income in 1987 was $26,060. Adjusted for inflation, that's equivalent to $71,952 today.
See full salary reality check for 1987 →