U.S. inflation · 1966–1998
$100 in 1966 has the same buying power as
$503
in 1998
| Cumulative price change | 403.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.18% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $503 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $403 |
| CPI in 1966 | 32.4 |
| CPI in 1998 | 163 |
| Inflation in 1966 | 2.86% |
| Inflation in 1998 | 1.56% |
| $100 in 1966 → 1998 | $503 |
| $100 in 1998 → 1966 | $19.88 |
Between 1966 and 1998, the Consumer Price Index went from 32.4 to 163. Cumulatively, prices increased 403.1%, which works out to an average of 5.18% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1966 bought what $0.20 buys in 1998.
| Amount in 1966 | Value in 1998 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $5.03 |
| $5.00 | $25.15 |
| $10.00 | $50.31 |
| $20.00 | $101 |
| $50.00 | $252 |
| $100 | $503 |
| $500 | $2,515 |
| $1,000 | $5,031 |
| $5,000 | $25,154 |
| $10,000 | $50,309 |
| $100,000 | $503,086 |
| $1,000,000 | $5,030,864 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1966 spending costs in 1998, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1966 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.18% | $503 |
| Medical care | 7.18% | $921 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.27% | $518 |
| Food | 4.99% | $475 |
| Energy | 4.75% | $442 |
| Transportation | 4.73% | $438 |
| Apparel | 3.17% | $271 |
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 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $107 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $120 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $129 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $152 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $176 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $201 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $254 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $298 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $321 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $338 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $365 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $403 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $433 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $457 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $484 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $503 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1966 to 1998: $100 is worth $503 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1966-to-1998/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1966 to 1998. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1966-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.