U.S. inflation · 1974–1991
$100 in 1974 has the same buying power as
$276
in 1991
| Cumulative price change | 176.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.16% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $276 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $176 |
| CPI in 1974 | 49.3 |
| CPI in 1991 | 136.2 |
| Inflation in 1974 | 11.04% |
| Inflation in 1991 | 4.21% |
| $100 in 1974 → 1991 | $276 |
| $100 in 1991 → 1974 | $36.20 |
Between 1974 and 1991, the Consumer Price Index went from 49.3 to 136.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 176.3%, which works out to an average of 6.16% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1974 bought what $0.36 buys in 1991.
| Amount in 1974 | Value in 1991 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.76 |
| $5.00 | $13.81 |
| $10.00 | $27.63 |
| $20.00 | $55.25 |
| $50.00 | $138 |
| $100 | $276 |
| $500 | $1,381 |
| $1,000 | $2,763 |
| $5,000 | $13,813 |
| $10,000 | $27,627 |
| $100,000 | $276,268 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,762,677 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1974 spending costs in 1991, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1974 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.16% | $276 |
| Medical care | 8.77% | $417 |
| Housing | 6.50% | $292 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.41% | $288 |
| Transportation | 6.02% | $270 |
| Energy | 5.99% | $269 |
| Food | 5.47% | $247 |
| Apparel | 3.70% | $185 |
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 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $230 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $240 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $252 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $265 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $276 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1974 to 1991: $100 is worth $276 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-to-1991/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1974 to 1991. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-to-1991/
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.