U.S. inflation · 1966–1991
$100 in 1966 has the same buying power as
$420
in 1991
| Cumulative price change | 320.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.91% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $420 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $320 |
| CPI in 1966 | 32.4 |
| CPI in 1991 | 136.2 |
| Inflation in 1966 | 2.86% |
| Inflation in 1991 | 4.21% |
| $100 in 1966 → 1991 | $420 |
| $100 in 1991 → 1966 | $23.79 |
Between 1966 and 1991, the Consumer Price Index went from 32.4 to 136.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 320.4%, which works out to an average of 5.91% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1966 bought what $0.24 buys in 1991.
| Amount in 1966 | Value in 1991 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $4.20 |
| $5.00 | $21.02 |
| $10.00 | $42.04 |
| $20.00 | $84.07 |
| $50.00 | $210 |
| $100 | $420 |
| $500 | $2,102 |
| $1,000 | $4,204 |
| $5,000 | $21,019 |
| $10,000 | $42,037 |
| $100,000 | $420,370 |
| $1,000,000 | $4,203,704 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1966 spending costs in 1991, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1966 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.91% | $420 |
| Medical care | 7.92% | $673 |
| Energy | 6.10% | $440 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.95% | $424 |
| Food | 5.74% | $403 |
| Transportation | 5.52% | $383 |
| Apparel | 3.94% | $263 |
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 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $351 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $365 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $383 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $403 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $420 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1966 to 1991: $100 is worth $420 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1966-to-1991/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1966 to 1991. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1966-to-1991/
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.