U.S. inflation · 1974–1982
$100 in 1974 has the same buying power as
$196
in 1982
| Cumulative price change | 95.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 8.76% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $196 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $95.74 |
| CPI in 1974 | 49.3 |
| CPI in 1982 | 96.5 |
| Inflation in 1974 | 11.04% |
| Inflation in 1982 | 6.16% |
| $100 in 1974 → 1982 | $196 |
| $100 in 1982 → 1974 | $51.09 |
Between 1974 and 1982, the Consumer Price Index went from 49.3 to 96.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 95.7%, which works out to an average of 8.76% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1974 bought what $0.51 buys in 1982.
| Amount in 1974 | Value in 1982 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.96 |
| $5.00 | $9.79 |
| $10.00 | $19.57 |
| $20.00 | $39.15 |
| $50.00 | $97.87 |
| $100 | $196 |
| $500 | $979 |
| $1,000 | $1,957 |
| $5,000 | $9,787 |
| $10,000 | $19,574 |
| $100,000 | $195,740 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,957,404 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1974 spending costs in 1982, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1974 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 8.76% | $196 |
| Energy | 12.71% | $260 |
| Medical care | 10.24% | $218 |
| Transportation | 9.83% | $212 |
| Housing | 9.82% | $212 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 8.63% | $194 |
| Food | 7.38% | $177 |
| Apparel | 4.38% | $141 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1974: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1974 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $100 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $109 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $115 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $123 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $132 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $147 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $167 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $184 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $196 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1974 to 1982: $100 is worth $196 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-to-1982/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1974 to 1982. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-to-1982/
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.