1997 vs Today
The purchasing power of the median household has collapsed. See the data from 1997 below.
1997
Median Income
$37,010
House Price
$145,000
Today
Median Income
$83,730
House Price
$418,975
Cost of Living: 1997 Prices
🛒 Food & Groceries
🥚 Eggs
→1997
$1.06
Today
$3.17
Labor ×
1.3x
per dozen
🍞 Bread
→1997
$0.87
Today
$1.97
Labor ×
1.0x
per loaf
🥛 Milk
→1997
$2.61
Today
$3.98
Labor ×
0.7x
per gallon
🥩 Ground Beef
→1997
$1.40
Today
$5.39
Labor ×
1.7x
per lb
🐔 Chicken
→1997
$1.00
Today
$2.00
Labor ×
0.9x
per lb
🥓 Bacon
→1997
$2.68
Today
$6.78
Labor ×
1.1x
per lb
☕ Coffee
→1997
$4.11
Today
$6.32
Labor ×
0.7x
per lb
🍊 Oranges
→1997
$2.92
Today
$6.13
Labor ×
0.9x
per lb
🍬 Sugar
→1997
$5.17
Today
$13.73
Labor ×
1.2x
per lb
🏠 Housing & Utilities
🚗 Transportation
🎬 Entertainment
Salary Purchasing Power
The median income in 1997 was $37,010. Adjusted for inflation, that's equivalent to $72,325 today.
See full salary reality check for 1997 →