U.S. inflation · 1965–1989
$100 in 1965 has the same buying power as
$394
in 1989
| Cumulative price change | 293.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.88% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $394 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $294 |
| CPI in 1965 | 31.5 |
| CPI in 1989 | 124 |
| Inflation in 1965 | 1.61% |
| Inflation in 1989 | 4.82% |
| $100 in 1965 → 1989 | $394 |
| $100 in 1989 → 1965 | $25.40 |
Between 1965 and 1989, the Consumer Price Index went from 31.5 to 124. Cumulatively, prices increased 293.7%, which works out to an average of 5.88% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1965 bought what $0.25 buys in 1989.
| Amount in 1965 | Value in 1989 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $3.94 |
| $5.00 | $19.68 |
| $10.00 | $39.37 |
| $20.00 | $78.73 |
| $50.00 | $197 |
| $100 | $394 |
| $500 | $1,968 |
| $1,000 | $3,937 |
| $5,000 | $19,683 |
| $10,000 | $39,365 |
| $100,000 | $393,651 |
| $1,000,000 | $3,936,508 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1965 spending costs in 1989, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1965 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.88% | $394 |
| Medical care | 7.69% | $592 |
| Energy | 6.07% | $412 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.89% | $394 |
| Food | 5.82% | $389 |
| Transportation | 5.45% | $358 |
| Apparel | 3.86% | $248 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1965: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1965 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $100 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $103 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $106 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $110 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $117 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $123 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $129 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $133 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $141 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $157 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $171 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $181 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $192 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $207 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $230 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $262 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $289 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $306 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $316 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $330 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $342 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $348 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $361 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $376 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $394 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1965 to 1989: $100 is worth $394 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1965-to-1989/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1965 to 1989. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1965-to-1989/
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.