U.S. inflation · 1962–1998
$100 in 1962 has the same buying power as
$540
in 1998
| Cumulative price change | 439.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.79% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $540 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $440 |
| CPI in 1962 | 30.2 |
| CPI in 1998 | 163 |
| Inflation in 1962 | 1.00% |
| Inflation in 1998 | 1.56% |
| $100 in 1962 → 1998 | $540 |
| $100 in 1998 → 1962 | $18.53 |
Between 1962 and 1998, the Consumer Price Index went from 30.2 to 163. Cumulatively, prices increased 439.7%, which works out to an average of 4.79% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1962 bought what $0.19 buys in 1998.
| Amount in 1962 | Value in 1998 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $5.40 |
| $5.00 | $26.99 |
| $10.00 | $53.97 |
| $20.00 | $108 |
| $50.00 | $270 |
| $100 | $540 |
| $500 | $2,699 |
| $1,000 | $5,397 |
| $5,000 | $26,987 |
| $10,000 | $53,974 |
| $100,000 | $539,735 |
| $1,000,000 | $5,397,351 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1962 spending costs in 1998, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1962 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.79% | $540 |
| Medical care | 6.69% | $1,030 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.86% | $552 |
| Food | 4.71% | $525 |
| Transportation | 4.33% | $460 |
| Energy | 4.30% | $455 |
| Apparel | 2.97% | $287 |
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 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $491 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $520 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $540 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1962 to 1998: $100 is worth $540 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1962-to-1998/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1962 to 1998. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1962-to-1998/
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.