U.S. inflation · 1951–1991
$100 in 1951 has the same buying power as
$524
in 1991
| Cumulative price change | 423.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.23% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $524 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $424 |
| CPI in 1951 | 26 |
| CPI in 1991 | 136.2 |
| Inflation in 1951 | 7.88% |
| Inflation in 1991 | 4.21% |
| $100 in 1951 → 1991 | $524 |
| $100 in 1991 → 1951 | $19.09 |
Between 1951 and 1991, the Consumer Price Index went from 26 to 136.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 423.8%, which works out to an average of 4.23% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1951 bought what $0.19 buys in 1991.
| Amount in 1951 | Value in 1991 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $5.24 |
| $5.00 | $26.19 |
| $10.00 | $52.38 |
| $20.00 | $105 |
| $50.00 | $262 |
| $100 | $524 |
| $500 | $2,619 |
| $1,000 | $5,238 |
| $5,000 | $26,192 |
| $10,000 | $52,385 |
| $100,000 | $523,846 |
| $1,000,000 | $5,238,462 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1951 spending costs in 1991, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1951 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.23% | $524 |
| Medical care | 6.21% | $1,113 |
| Transportation | 4.18% | $514 |
| Food | 4.02% | $483 |
| Apparel | 2.73% | $293 |
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 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $414 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $437 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $477 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $524 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1951 to 1991: $100 is worth $524 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1951-to-1991/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1951 to 1991. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1951-to-1991/
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.