U.S. inflation · 1956–1986
$100 in 1956 has the same buying power as
$403
in 1986
| Cumulative price change | 302.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.75% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $403 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $303 |
| CPI in 1956 | 27.2 |
| CPI in 1986 | 109.6 |
| Inflation in 1956 | 1.49% |
| Inflation in 1986 | 1.86% |
| $100 in 1956 → 1986 | $403 |
| $100 in 1986 → 1956 | $24.82 |
Between 1956 and 1986, the Consumer Price Index went from 27.2 to 109.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 302.9%, which works out to an average of 4.75% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1956 bought what $0.25 buys in 1986.
| Amount in 1956 | Value in 1986 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $4.03 |
| $5.00 | $20.15 |
| $10.00 | $40.29 |
| $20.00 | $80.59 |
| $50.00 | $201 |
| $100 | $403 |
| $500 | $2,015 |
| $1,000 | $4,029 |
| $5,000 | $20,147 |
| $10,000 | $40,294 |
| $100,000 | $402,941 |
| $1,000,000 | $4,029,412 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1956 spending costs in 1986, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1956 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.75% | $403 |
| Medical care | 6.41% | $646 |
| Transportation | 4.65% | $390 |
| Food | 4.63% | $389 |
| Apparel | 2.99% | $242 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1956: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1956 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $100 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $103 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $106 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $107 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $109 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $110 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $111 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $113 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $114 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $116 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $119 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $123 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $128 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $135 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $143 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $149 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $154 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $163 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $181 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $198 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $209 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $223 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $240 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $267 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $303 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $334 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $355 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $366 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $382 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $396 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $403 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1956 to 1986: $100 is worth $403 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1956-to-1986/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1956 to 1986. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1956-to-1986/
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.