U.S. inflation · 1971–1983
$100 in 1971 has the same buying power as
$246
in 1983
| Cumulative price change | 145.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 7.79% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $246 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $146 |
| CPI in 1971 | 40.5 |
| CPI in 1983 | 99.6 |
| Inflation in 1971 | 4.38% |
| Inflation in 1983 | 3.21% |
| $100 in 1971 → 1983 | $246 |
| $100 in 1983 → 1971 | $40.66 |
Between 1971 and 1983, the Consumer Price Index went from 40.5 to 99.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 145.9%, which works out to an average of 7.79% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1971 bought what $0.41 buys in 1983.
| Amount in 1971 | Value in 1983 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.46 |
| $5.00 | $12.30 |
| $10.00 | $24.59 |
| $20.00 | $49.19 |
| $50.00 | $123 |
| $100 | $246 |
| $500 | $1,230 |
| $1,000 | $2,459 |
| $5,000 | $12,296 |
| $10,000 | $24,593 |
| $100,000 | $245,926 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,459,259 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1971 spending costs in 1983, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1971 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 7.79% | $246 |
| Energy | 11.69% | $377 |
| Medical care | 8.92% | $279 |
| Housing | 8.35% | $262 |
| Transportation | 7.98% | $251 |
| Food | 7.79% | $246 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 7.31% | $233 |
| Apparel | 4.21% | $164 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1971: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1971 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $100 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $103 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $110 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $122 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $133 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $140 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $150 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $161 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $179 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $203 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $224 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $238 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $246 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1971 to 1983: $100 is worth $246 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1971-to-1983/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1971 to 1983. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1971-to-1983/
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.