U.S. inflation · 1959–1996
$100 in 1959 has the same buying power as
$539
in 1996
| Cumulative price change | 439.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.66% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $539 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $439 |
| CPI in 1959 | 29.1 |
| CPI in 1996 | 156.9 |
| Inflation in 1959 | 0.69% |
| Inflation in 1996 | 2.95% |
| $100 in 1959 → 1996 | $539 |
| $100 in 1996 → 1959 | $18.55 |
Between 1959 and 1996, the Consumer Price Index went from 29.1 to 156.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 439.2%, which works out to an average of 4.66% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1959 bought what $0.19 buys in 1996.
| Amount in 1959 | Value in 1996 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $5.39 |
| $5.00 | $26.96 |
| $10.00 | $53.92 |
| $20.00 | $108 |
| $50.00 | $270 |
| $100 | $539 |
| $500 | $2,696 |
| $1,000 | $5,392 |
| $5,000 | $26,959 |
| $10,000 | $53,918 |
| $100,000 | $539,175 |
| $1,000,000 | $5,391,753 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1959 spending costs in 1996, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1959 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.66% | $539 |
| Medical care | 6.59% | $1,061 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.71% | $548 |
| Food | 4.54% | $516 |
| Energy | 4.46% | $503 |
| Transportation | 4.33% | $480 |
| Apparel | 2.94% | $293 |
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 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $103 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $105 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $108 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $115 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $126 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $139 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $153 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $185 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $208 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $249 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $312 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $342 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $370 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $390 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $426 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $468 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $497 |
| 1995 | 152.4 | 2.8% | $524 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $539 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1959 to 1996: $100 is worth $539 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1959-to-1996/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1959 to 1996. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1959-to-1996/
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.