U.S. inflation · 1973–1988
$100 in 1973 has the same buying power as
$266
in 1988
| Cumulative price change | 166.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.75% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $266 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $166 |
| CPI in 1973 | 44.4 |
| CPI in 1988 | 118.3 |
| Inflation in 1973 | 6.22% |
| Inflation in 1988 | 4.14% |
| $100 in 1973 → 1988 | $266 |
| $100 in 1988 → 1973 | $37.53 |
Between 1973 and 1988, the Consumer Price Index went from 44.4 to 118.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 166.4%, which works out to an average of 6.75% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1973 bought what $0.38 buys in 1988.
| Amount in 1973 | Value in 1988 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.66 |
| $5.00 | $13.32 |
| $10.00 | $26.64 |
| $20.00 | $53.29 |
| $50.00 | $133 |
| $100 | $266 |
| $500 | $1,332 |
| $1,000 | $2,664 |
| $5,000 | $13,322 |
| $10,000 | $26,644 |
| $100,000 | $266,441 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,664,414 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1973 spending costs in 1988, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1973 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.75% | $266 |
| Medical care | 8.86% | $357 |
| Energy | 7.69% | $304 |
| Housing | 7.30% | $288 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.86% | $271 |
| Transportation | 6.68% | $264 |
| Food | 6.16% | $245 |
| Apparel | 3.94% | $179 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1973: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1973 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $100 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $111 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $121 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $128 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $136 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $147 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $164 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $186 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $205 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $217 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $224 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $234 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $242 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $247 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $256 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $266 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1973 to 1988: $100 is worth $266 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1973-to-1988/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1973 to 1988. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1973-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.