U.S. inflation · 1974–1985
$100 in 1974 has the same buying power as
$218
in 1985
| Cumulative price change | 118.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 7.35% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $218 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $118 |
| CPI in 1974 | 49.3 |
| CPI in 1985 | 107.6 |
| Inflation in 1974 | 11.04% |
| Inflation in 1985 | 3.56% |
| $100 in 1974 → 1985 | $218 |
| $100 in 1985 → 1974 | $45.82 |
Between 1974 and 1985, the Consumer Price Index went from 49.3 to 107.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 118.3%, which works out to an average of 7.35% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1974 bought what $0.46 buys in 1985.
| Amount in 1974 | Value in 1985 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.18 |
| $5.00 | $10.91 |
| $10.00 | $21.83 |
| $20.00 | $43.65 |
| $50.00 | $109 |
| $100 | $218 |
| $500 | $1,091 |
| $1,000 | $2,183 |
| $5,000 | $10,913 |
| $10,000 | $21,826 |
| $100,000 | $218,256 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,182,556 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1974 spending costs in 1985, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1974 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 7.35% | $218 |
| Medical care | 9.36% | $268 |
| Energy | 9.33% | $267 |
| Housing | 8.08% | $235 |
| Transportation | 7.96% | $232 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 7.47% | $221 |
| Food | 6.09% | $192 |
| Apparel | 3.84% | $151 |
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 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $211 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $218 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1974 to 1985: $100 is worth $218 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-to-1985/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1974 to 1985. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-to-1985/
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.