U.S. inflation · 1959–1984
$100 in 1959 has the same buying power as
$357
in 1984
| Cumulative price change | 257.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.22% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $357 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $257 |
| CPI in 1959 | 29.1 |
| CPI in 1984 | 103.9 |
| Inflation in 1959 | 0.69% |
| Inflation in 1984 | 4.32% |
| $100 in 1959 → 1984 | $357 |
| $100 in 1984 → 1959 | $28.01 |
Between 1959 and 1984, the Consumer Price Index went from 29.1 to 103.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 257.0%, which works out to an average of 5.22% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1959 bought what $0.28 buys in 1984.
| Amount in 1959 | Value in 1984 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $3.57 |
| $5.00 | $17.85 |
| $10.00 | $35.70 |
| $20.00 | $71.41 |
| $50.00 | $179 |
| $100 | $357 |
| $500 | $1,785 |
| $1,000 | $3,570 |
| $5,000 | $17,852 |
| $10,000 | $35,704 |
| $100,000 | $357,045 |
| $1,000,000 | $3,570,447 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1959 spending costs in 1984, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1959 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.22% | $357 |
| Medical care | 6.62% | $497 |
| Energy | 6.30% | $461 |
| Transportation | 5.11% | $348 |
| Food | 5.11% | $347 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.09% | $346 |
| Apparel | 3.33% | $227 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1959: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1959 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $100 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $102 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $103 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $104 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $105 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $107 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $108 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $111 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $115 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $120 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $126 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $133 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $139 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $144 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $153 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $169 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $185 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $196 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $208 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $224 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $249 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $283 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $312 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $332 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $342 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $357 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1959 to 1984: $100 is worth $357 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1959-to-1984/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1959 to 1984. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1959-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.