U.S. inflation · 1966–2002
$100 in 1966 has the same buying power as
$555
in 2002
| Cumulative price change | 455.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.88% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $555 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $455 |
| CPI in 1966 | 32.4 |
| CPI in 2002 | 179.9 |
| Inflation in 1966 | 2.86% |
| Inflation in 2002 | 1.58% |
| $100 in 1966 → 2002 | $555 |
| $100 in 2002 → 1966 | $18.01 |
Between 1966 and 2002, the Consumer Price Index went from 32.4 to 179.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 455.2%, which works out to an average of 4.88% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1966 bought what $0.18 buys in 2002.
| Amount in 1966 | Value in 2002 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $5.55 |
| $5.00 | $27.76 |
| $10.00 | $55.52 |
| $20.00 | $111 |
| $50.00 | $278 |
| $100 | $555 |
| $500 | $2,776 |
| $1,000 | $5,552 |
| $5,000 | $27,762 |
| $10,000 | $55,525 |
| $100,000 | $555,247 |
| $1,000,000 | $5,552,469 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1966 spending costs in 2002, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1966 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.88% | $555 |
| Medical care | 6.85% | $1,086 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.95% | $569 |
| Energy | 4.70% | $522 |
| Food | 4.69% | $521 |
| Transportation | 4.41% | $473 |
| Apparel | 2.61% | $253 |
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 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | 3.4% | $531 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $555 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1966 to 2002: $100 is worth $555 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1966-to-2002/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1966 to 2002. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1966-to-2002/
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.