U.S. inflation · 1971–1986
$100 in 1971 has the same buying power as
$271
in 1986
| Cumulative price change | 170.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.86% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $271 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $171 |
| CPI in 1971 | 40.5 |
| CPI in 1986 | 109.6 |
| Inflation in 1971 | 4.38% |
| Inflation in 1986 | 1.86% |
| $100 in 1971 → 1986 | $271 |
| $100 in 1986 → 1971 | $36.95 |
Between 1971 and 1986, the Consumer Price Index went from 40.5 to 109.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 170.6%, which works out to an average of 6.86% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1971 bought what $0.37 buys in 1986.
| Amount in 1971 | Value in 1986 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.71 |
| $5.00 | $13.53 |
| $10.00 | $27.06 |
| $20.00 | $54.12 |
| $50.00 | $135 |
| $100 | $271 |
| $500 | $1,353 |
| $1,000 | $2,706 |
| $5,000 | $13,531 |
| $10,000 | $27,062 |
| $100,000 | $270,617 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,706,173 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1971 spending costs in 1986, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1971 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.86% | $271 |
| Medical care | 8.46% | $338 |
| Energy | 8.35% | $333 |
| Housing | 7.40% | $292 |
| Food | 6.84% | $270 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.73% | $266 |
| Transportation | 6.55% | $259 |
| Apparel | 3.73% | $173 |
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 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $257 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $266 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $271 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1971 to 1986: $100 is worth $271 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1971-to-1986/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1971 to 1986. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1971-to-1986/
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.