U.S. inflation · 1970–1988
$100 in 1970 has the same buying power as
$305
in 1988
| Cumulative price change | 204.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.39% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $305 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $205 |
| CPI in 1970 | 38.8 |
| CPI in 1988 | 118.3 |
| Inflation in 1970 | 5.72% |
| Inflation in 1988 | 4.14% |
| $100 in 1970 → 1988 | $305 |
| $100 in 1988 → 1970 | $32.80 |
Between 1970 and 1988, the Consumer Price Index went from 38.8 to 118.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 204.9%, which works out to an average of 6.39% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1970 bought what $0.33 buys in 1988.
| Amount in 1970 | Value in 1988 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $3.05 |
| $5.00 | $15.24 |
| $10.00 | $30.49 |
| $20.00 | $60.98 |
| $50.00 | $152 |
| $100 | $305 |
| $500 | $1,524 |
| $1,000 | $3,049 |
| $5,000 | $15,245 |
| $10,000 | $30,490 |
| $100,000 | $304,897 |
| $1,000,000 | $3,048,969 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1970 spending costs in 1988, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1970 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.39% | $305 |
| Medical care | 8.12% | $408 |
| Energy | 7.21% | $350 |
| Housing | 6.78% | $326 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.34% | $302 |
| Food | 6.32% | $302 |
| Transportation | 6.09% | $290 |
| Apparel | 3.78% | $195 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1970: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1970 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $100 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $104 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $108 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $114 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $127 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $139 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $147 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $156 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $168 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $187 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $212 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $234 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $249 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $257 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $268 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $277 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $282 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $293 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $305 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1970 to 1988: $100 is worth $305 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1970-to-1988/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1970 to 1988. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1970-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.