U.S. inflation · 1975–1987
$100 in 1975 has the same buying power as
$211
in 1987
| Cumulative price change | 111.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.43% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $211 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $111 |
| CPI in 1975 | 53.8 |
| CPI in 1987 | 113.6 |
| Inflation in 1975 | 9.13% |
| Inflation in 1987 | 3.65% |
| $100 in 1975 → 1987 | $211 |
| $100 in 1987 → 1975 | $47.36 |
Between 1975 and 1987, the Consumer Price Index went from 53.8 to 113.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 111.2%, which works out to an average of 6.43% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1975 bought what $0.47 buys in 1987.
| Amount in 1975 | Value in 1987 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.11 |
| $5.00 | $10.56 |
| $10.00 | $21.12 |
| $20.00 | $42.23 |
| $50.00 | $106 |
| $100 | $211 |
| $500 | $1,056 |
| $1,000 | $2,112 |
| $5,000 | $10,558 |
| $10,000 | $21,115 |
| $100,000 | $211,152 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,111,524 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1975 spending costs in 1987, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1975 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.43% | $211 |
| Medical care | 8.76% | $274 |
| Housing | 7.00% | $225 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.76% | $219 |
| Energy | 6.40% | $210 |
| Transportation | 6.39% | $210 |
| Food | 5.49% | $190 |
| Apparel | 3.58% | $153 |
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 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $185 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $193 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $200 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $204 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $211 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1975 to 1987: $100 is worth $211 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1975-to-1987/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1975 to 1987. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1975-to-1987/
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.