U.S. inflation · 1950–1988
$100 in 1950 has the same buying power as
$491
in 1988
| Cumulative price change | 390.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.28% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $491 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $391 |
| CPI in 1950 | 24.1 |
| CPI in 1988 | 118.3 |
| Inflation in 1950 | 1.26% |
| Inflation in 1988 | 4.14% |
| $100 in 1950 → 1988 | $491 |
| $100 in 1988 → 1950 | $20.37 |
Between 1950 and 1988, the Consumer Price Index went from 24.1 to 118.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 390.9%, which works out to an average of 4.28% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1950 bought what $0.20 buys in 1988.
| Amount in 1950 | Value in 1988 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $4.91 |
| $5.00 | $24.54 |
| $10.00 | $49.09 |
| $20.00 | $98.17 |
| $50.00 | $245 |
| $100 | $491 |
| $500 | $2,454 |
| $1,000 | $4,909 |
| $5,000 | $24,544 |
| $10,000 | $49,087 |
| $100,000 | $490,871 |
| $1,000,000 | $4,908,714 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1950 spending costs in 1988, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1950 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.28% | $491 |
| Medical care | 6.01% | $918 |
| Transportation | 4.21% | $479 |
| Food | 4.13% | $465 |
| Apparel | 2.81% | $286 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1950: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1950 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $100 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $110 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $112 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $113 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $120 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $123 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $125 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $129 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $134 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $144 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $161 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $173 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $205 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $236 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $271 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $342 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $400 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $431 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $455 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $491 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1950 to 1988: $100 is worth $491 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1950-to-1988/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1950 to 1988. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1950-to-1988/
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U annual averages (series CUUR0000SA0; category indexes listed on the data sources page). See how these numbers are calculated.