U.S. inflation · 1961–1984
$100 in 1961 has the same buying power as
$347
in 1984
| Cumulative price change | 247.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.56% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $347 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $247 |
| CPI in 1961 | 29.9 |
| CPI in 1984 | 103.9 |
| Inflation in 1961 | 1.01% |
| Inflation in 1984 | 4.32% |
| $100 in 1961 → 1984 | $347 |
| $100 in 1984 → 1961 | $28.78 |
Between 1961 and 1984, the Consumer Price Index went from 29.9 to 103.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 247.5%, which works out to an average of 5.56% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1961 bought what $0.29 buys in 1984.
| Amount in 1961 | Value in 1984 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $3.47 |
| $5.00 | $17.37 |
| $10.00 | $34.75 |
| $20.00 | $69.50 |
| $50.00 | $174 |
| $100 | $347 |
| $500 | $1,737 |
| $1,000 | $3,475 |
| $5,000 | $17,375 |
| $10,000 | $34,749 |
| $100,000 | $347,492 |
| $1,000,000 | $3,474,916 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1961 spending costs in 1984, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1961 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.56% | $347 |
| Medical care | 6.92% | $466 |
| Energy | 6.74% | $448 |
| Transportation | 5.53% | $345 |
| Food | 5.46% | $339 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.43% | $337 |
| Apparel | 3.52% | $221 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1961: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1961 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $100 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $101 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $102 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $104 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $105 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $108 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $112 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $116 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $123 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $130 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $135 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $140 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $148 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $165 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $180 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $190 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $203 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $218 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $243 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $276 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $304 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $323 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $333 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $347 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1961 to 1984: $100 is worth $347 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1961-to-1984/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1961 to 1984. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1961-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.