U.S. inflation · 1952–1985
$100 in 1952 has the same buying power as
$406
in 1985
| Cumulative price change | 306.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.34% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $406 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $306 |
| CPI in 1952 | 26.5 |
| CPI in 1985 | 107.6 |
| Inflation in 1952 | 1.92% |
| Inflation in 1985 | 3.56% |
| $100 in 1952 → 1985 | $406 |
| $100 in 1985 → 1952 | $24.63 |
Between 1952 and 1985, the Consumer Price Index went from 26.5 to 107.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 306.0%, which works out to an average of 4.34% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1952 bought what $0.25 buys in 1985.
| Amount in 1952 | Value in 1985 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $4.06 |
| $5.00 | $20.30 |
| $10.00 | $40.60 |
| $20.00 | $81.21 |
| $50.00 | $203 |
| $100 | $406 |
| $500 | $2,030 |
| $1,000 | $4,060 |
| $5,000 | $20,302 |
| $10,000 | $40,604 |
| $100,000 | $406,038 |
| $1,000,000 | $4,060,377 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1952 spending costs in 1985, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1952 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.34% | $406 |
| Medical care | 5.98% | $680 |
| Transportation | 4.40% | $414 |
| Food | 4.03% | $368 |
| Apparel | 2.71% | $241 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1952: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1952 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $100 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $102 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $103 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $109 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $112 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $114 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $117 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $122 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $131 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $146 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $158 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $186 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $215 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $246 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $311 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $364 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $392 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $406 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1952 to 1985: $100 is worth $406 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1952-to-1985/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1952 to 1985. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1952-to-1985/
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.