U.S. inflation · 1974–1983
$100 in 1974 has the same buying power as
$202
in 1983
| Cumulative price change | 102.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 8.13% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $202 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $102 |
| CPI in 1974 | 49.3 |
| CPI in 1983 | 99.6 |
| Inflation in 1974 | 11.04% |
| Inflation in 1983 | 3.21% |
| $100 in 1974 → 1983 | $202 |
| $100 in 1983 → 1974 | $49.50 |
Between 1974 and 1983, the Consumer Price Index went from 49.3 to 99.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 102.0%, which works out to an average of 8.13% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1974 bought what $0.49 buys in 1983.
| Amount in 1974 | Value in 1983 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.02 |
| $5.00 | $10.10 |
| $10.00 | $20.20 |
| $20.00 | $40.41 |
| $50.00 | $101 |
| $100 | $202 |
| $500 | $1,010 |
| $1,000 | $2,020 |
| $5,000 | $10,101 |
| $10,000 | $20,203 |
| $100,000 | $202,028 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,020,284 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1974 spending costs in 1983, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1974 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 8.13% | $202 |
| Energy | 11.31% | $262 |
| Medical care | 10.08% | $237 |
| Housing | 9.00% | $217 |
| Transportation | 8.98% | $217 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 8.10% | $202 |
| Food | 6.78% | $180 |
| Apparel | 4.17% | $144 |
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 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $202 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1974 to 1983: $100 is worth $202 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-to-1983/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1974 to 1983. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-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.