U.S. inflation · 1951–1984
$100 in 1951 has the same buying power as
$400
in 1984
| Cumulative price change | 299.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.29% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $400 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $300 |
| CPI in 1951 | 26 |
| CPI in 1984 | 103.9 |
| Inflation in 1951 | 7.88% |
| Inflation in 1984 | 4.32% |
| $100 in 1951 → 1984 | $400 |
| $100 in 1984 → 1951 | $25.02 |
Between 1951 and 1984, the Consumer Price Index went from 26 to 103.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 299.6%, which works out to an average of 4.29% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1951 bought what $0.25 buys in 1984.
| Amount in 1951 | Value in 1984 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $4.00 |
| $5.00 | $19.98 |
| $10.00 | $39.96 |
| $20.00 | $79.92 |
| $50.00 | $200 |
| $100 | $400 |
| $500 | $1,998 |
| $1,000 | $3,996 |
| $5,000 | $19,981 |
| $10,000 | $39,962 |
| $100,000 | $399,615 |
| $1,000,000 | $3,996,154 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1951 spending costs in 1984, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1951 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.29% | $400 |
| Medical care | 5.94% | $672 |
| Transportation | 4.52% | $430 |
| Food | 4.01% | $366 |
| Apparel | 2.59% | $233 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1951: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1951 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $100 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $103 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $103 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $108 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $112 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $115 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $118 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $121 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $128 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $141 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $156 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $171 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $207 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $233 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $279 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $350 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $383 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $400 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1951 to 1984: $100 is worth $400 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1951-to-1984/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1951 to 1984. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1951-to-1984/
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.