U.S. inflation · 1969–1988
$100 in 1969 has the same buying power as
$322
in 1988
| Cumulative price change | 222.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.35% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $322 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $222 |
| CPI in 1969 | 36.7 |
| CPI in 1988 | 118.3 |
| Inflation in 1969 | 5.46% |
| Inflation in 1988 | 4.14% |
| $100 in 1969 → 1988 | $322 |
| $100 in 1988 → 1969 | $31.02 |
Between 1969 and 1988, the Consumer Price Index went from 36.7 to 118.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 222.3%, which works out to an average of 6.35% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1969 bought what $0.31 buys in 1988.
| Amount in 1969 | Value in 1988 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $3.22 |
| $5.00 | $16.12 |
| $10.00 | $32.23 |
| $20.00 | $64.47 |
| $50.00 | $161 |
| $100 | $322 |
| $500 | $1,612 |
| $1,000 | $3,223 |
| $5,000 | $16,117 |
| $10,000 | $32,234 |
| $100,000 | $322,343 |
| $1,000,000 | $3,223,433 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1969 spending costs in 1988, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1969 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.35% | $322 |
| Medical care | 8.04% | $434 |
| Energy | 6.98% | $360 |
| Housing | 6.79% | $349 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.34% | $321 |
| Food | 6.29% | $319 |
| Transportation | 6.04% | $304 |
| Apparel | 3.80% | $203 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1969: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1969 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $100 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $106 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $110 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $114 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $121 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $134 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $147 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $155 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $165 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $178 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $198 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $225 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $248 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $263 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $271 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $283 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $293 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $299 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $310 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $322 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1969 to 1988: $100 is worth $322 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1969-to-1988/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1969 to 1988. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1969-to-1988/
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.