U.S. inflation · 1966–1986
$100 in 1966 has the same buying power as
$338
in 1986
| Cumulative price change | 238.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.28% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $338 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $238 |
| CPI in 1966 | 32.4 |
| CPI in 1986 | 109.6 |
| Inflation in 1966 | 2.86% |
| Inflation in 1986 | 1.86% |
| $100 in 1966 → 1986 | $338 |
| $100 in 1986 → 1966 | $29.56 |
Between 1966 and 1986, the Consumer Price Index went from 32.4 to 109.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 238.3%, which works out to an average of 6.28% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1966 bought what $0.30 buys in 1986.
| Amount in 1966 | Value in 1986 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $3.38 |
| $5.00 | $16.91 |
| $10.00 | $33.83 |
| $20.00 | $67.65 |
| $50.00 | $169 |
| $100 | $338 |
| $500 | $1,691 |
| $1,000 | $3,383 |
| $5,000 | $16,914 |
| $10,000 | $33,827 |
| $100,000 | $338,272 |
| $1,000,000 | $3,382,716 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1966 spending costs in 1986, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1966 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.28% | $338 |
| Medical care | 7.97% | $464 |
| Energy | 6.88% | $379 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.29% | $339 |
| Food | 6.03% | $322 |
| Transportation | 5.93% | $317 |
| Apparel | 3.93% | $216 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1966: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1966 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $100 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $103 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $107 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $113 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $120 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $125 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $129 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $137 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $152 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $166 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $176 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $187 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $201 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $224 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $254 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $281 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $298 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $307 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $321 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $332 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $338 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1966 to 1986: $100 is worth $338 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1966-to-1986/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1966 to 1986. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1966-to-1986/
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.