Born in 1988
What the world looked like the year you arrived: prices, names, music and who was in charge.
Chinese zodiac
Earth Dragon
from Feb 17, 1988. Born earlier? Rabbit.
Generation
Millennial
President
Ronald Reagan
#1 baby names
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What things cost
Sample dataGallon of gas
$0.90
US average, regular
$2.45 in 2025 dollars
First-class stamp
25¢
US Postal Service
$0.68 in 2025 dollars
Minimum wage
$3.35/hr
federal
New home
$107,500
median price, estimated
$292,513 in 2025 dollars
Movie ticket
$3.96
US average, estimated
$10.77 in 2025 dollars
New car
$14,200
average price, estimated
Computer
$2,495
Apple Macintosh (1984), launch price
$7,730 in 2025 dollars
Video game system
$199
NES (1985), launch price
$595 in 2025 dollars
Video game
$30–$50
new game, NES era, approximate
US national figures in then-dollars, at mid-year. Some figures are estimates. Computer, game system and TV prices are launch prices of landmark models, and the game price is an approximate range for that era, so none of them is an average.
Pop culture
Sample dataPop culture for 1988 is still being added.
Famous people born in 1988
Sample dataStephen Curry · basketball playerMarch 14