U.S. inflation · 1962–1993
$100 in 1962 has the same buying power as
$478
in 1993
| Cumulative price change | 378.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.18% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $478 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $378 |
| CPI in 1962 | 30.2 |
| CPI in 1993 | 144.5 |
| Inflation in 1962 | 1.00% |
| Inflation in 1993 | 2.99% |
| $100 in 1962 → 1993 | $478 |
| $100 in 1993 → 1962 | $20.90 |
Between 1962 and 1993, the Consumer Price Index went from 30.2 to 144.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 378.5%, which works out to an average of 5.18% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1962 bought what $0.21 buys in 1993.
| Amount in 1962 | Value in 1993 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $4.78 |
| $5.00 | $23.92 |
| $10.00 | $47.85 |
| $20.00 | $95.70 |
| $50.00 | $239 |
| $100 | $478 |
| $500 | $2,392 |
| $1,000 | $4,785 |
| $5,000 | $23,924 |
| $10,000 | $47,848 |
| $100,000 | $478,477 |
| $1,000,000 | $4,784,768 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1962 spending costs in 1993, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1962 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.18% | $478 |
| Medical care | 7.18% | $857 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.22% | $485 |
| Energy | 5.05% | $461 |
| Food | 5.05% | $460 |
| Transportation | 4.77% | $423 |
| Apparel | 3.48% | $289 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1962: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1962 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $100 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $103 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $107 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $115 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $128 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $138 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $163 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $188 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $216 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $273 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $320 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $344 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $363 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $392 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $433 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $465 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $478 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1962 to 1993: $100 is worth $478 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1962-to-1993/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1962 to 1993. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1962-to-1993/
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.