U.S. inflation · 1974–1986
$100 in 1974 has the same buying power as
$222
in 1986
| Cumulative price change | 122.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.88% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $222 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $122 |
| CPI in 1974 | 49.3 |
| CPI in 1986 | 109.6 |
| Inflation in 1974 | 11.04% |
| Inflation in 1986 | 1.86% |
| $100 in 1974 → 1986 | $222 |
| $100 in 1986 → 1974 | $44.98 |
Between 1974 and 1986, the Consumer Price Index went from 49.3 to 109.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 122.3%, which works out to an average of 6.88% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1974 bought what $0.45 buys in 1986.
| Amount in 1974 | Value in 1986 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.22 |
| $5.00 | $11.12 |
| $10.00 | $22.23 |
| $20.00 | $44.46 |
| $50.00 | $111 |
| $100 | $222 |
| $500 | $1,112 |
| $1,000 | $2,223 |
| $5,000 | $11,116 |
| $10,000 | $22,231 |
| $100,000 | $222,312 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,223,124 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1974 spending costs in 1986, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1974 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.88% | $222 |
| Medical care | 9.21% | $288 |
| Housing | 7.65% | $242 |
| Energy | 7.25% | $231 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 7.18% | $230 |
| Transportation | 6.93% | $223 |
| Food | 5.85% | $198 |
| Apparel | 3.58% | $153 |
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 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $222 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1974 to 1986: $100 is worth $222 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-to-1986/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1974 to 1986. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-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.