1987 dollars in today's money
| In 1987 | In September 2026 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.97 |
| $5.00 | $14.83 |
| $10.00 | $29.65 |
| $20.00 | $59.31 |
| $50.00 | $148.27 |
| $100.00 | $296.54 |
| $1,000 | $2,965 |
| $10,000 | $29,654 |
Inflation in 1987
Prices rose 3.7% in 1987 compared with 1986. That is above the long-run average of 3.2% a year since 1913.
In the 1980s, the highest yearly rate was 13.5% in 1980 and the lowest was 1.9% in 1986.
The average Consumer Price Index in 1987 was 113.625 (1982–84 = 100). Today's index is 336.940, which is where the multiplier of 2.97× comes from.
Buying power: today's money in 1987
Going the other way, $100 today would have bought what $33.72 bought in 1987.
1987 compared with nearby years
| Year | $1 is worth today | Inflation that year |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | $3.49 | 6.1% |
| 1983 | $3.38 | 3.2% |
| 1984 | $3.24 | 4.3% |
| 1985 | $3.13 | 3.5% |
| 1986 | $3.07 | 1.9% |
| 1988 | $2.85 | 4.1% |
| 1989 | $2.72 | 4.8% |
| 1990 | $2.58 | 5.4% |
| 1991 | $2.47 | 4.2% |
| 1992 | $2.40 | 3.0% |
How this is calculated
Value today = amount × (CPI in September 2026 ÷ average CPI in 1987). The data is the CPI-U, all items, not seasonally adjusted, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Use the calculator above to convert between any two years.