$1,000 in 1987 is worth $2,948.77 today

$1,000 in 1987 has the same buying power as

$2,948.77 in August 2026

That is 195% more, an average inflation rate of 2.80% a year over 39 years.

Put the other way, $1,000 today buys what $339.12 bought in 1987. Cash kept under the mattress since 1987 has lost 66% of its value.

$1,000 from nearby years

$1,000 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1982$3,471.306.2%
1983$3,363.253.2%
1984$3,224.064.3%
1985$3,113.203.6%
1986$3,056.391.9%
1987$2,948.773.6%
1988$2,831.614.1%
1989$2,701.454.8%
1990$2,562.975.4%
1991$2,459.474.2%
1992$2,387.603.0%

How $1,000 from 1987 grew

$0.00$500$1000$1500$2000$2500$3000199019952000200520102015202020252026.625: $2949
$1,000 from 1987 in each later year's dollars

$1,000 of 1987 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $1,000 spent on each of these in 1987 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$3,087.38
Rent$3,647.42
Gasoline$4,491.11
Medical care$4,558.06
New cars$1,570.94
College tuition$7,084.20
Electricity$2,818.70
Clothing$1,236.46

Try a different amount or date

$1,000.00 in 1987 has the same buying power as

$2,948.77 in August 2026

Prices rose 194.9% in total, an average of 2.80% a year.

Questions

How much is $1,000 in 1987 worth today?
$1,000 in 1987 is worth $2,948.77 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $1,000 in 1987?
You would need $2,948.77 to buy what $1,000 bought in 1987. That is 2.95 times as much.
How much buying power has $1,000 lost since 1987?
Kept as cash, $1,000 from 1987 buys only what $339.12 of 1987 money bought. It has lost 66% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1987?
Prices rose 3.6% in 1987. Since then the average has been 2.80% a year.

Other amounts from 1987

$1,000 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1987