U.S. inflation · 1975–1982
$100 in 1975 has the same buying power as
$179
in 1982
| Cumulative price change | 79.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 8.70% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $179 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $79.37 |
| CPI in 1975 | 53.8 |
| CPI in 1982 | 96.5 |
| Inflation in 1975 | 9.13% |
| Inflation in 1982 | 6.16% |
| $100 in 1975 → 1982 | $179 |
| $100 in 1982 → 1975 | $55.75 |
Between 1975 and 1982, the Consumer Price Index went from 53.8 to 96.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 79.4%, which works out to an average of 8.70% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1975 bought what $0.56 buys in 1982.
| Amount in 1975 | Value in 1982 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.79 |
| $5.00 | $8.97 |
| $10.00 | $17.94 |
| $20.00 | $35.87 |
| $50.00 | $89.68 |
| $100 | $179 |
| $500 | $897 |
| $1,000 | $1,794 |
| $5,000 | $8,968 |
| $10,000 | $17,937 |
| $100,000 | $179,368 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,793,680 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1975 spending costs in 1982, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1975 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 8.70% | $179 |
| Energy | 13.03% | $236 |
| Medical care | 9.99% | $195 |
| Transportation | 9.90% | $194 |
| Housing | 9.70% | $191 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 8.56% | $178 |
| Food | 7.22% | $163 |
| Apparel | 4.37% | $135 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1975: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1975 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $100 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $106 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $113 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $121 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $135 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $153 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $169 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $179 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1975 to 1982: $100 is worth $179 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1975-to-1982/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1975 to 1982. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1975-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.