U.S. inflation · 1975–1989
$100 in 1975 has the same buying power as
$230
in 1989
| Cumulative price change | 130.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.15% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $230 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $130 |
| CPI in 1975 | 53.8 |
| CPI in 1989 | 124 |
| Inflation in 1975 | 9.13% |
| Inflation in 1989 | 4.82% |
| $100 in 1975 → 1989 | $230 |
| $100 in 1989 → 1975 | $43.39 |
Between 1975 and 1989, the Consumer Price Index went from 53.8 to 124. Cumulatively, prices increased 130.5%, which works out to an average of 6.15% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1975 bought what $0.43 buys in 1989.
| Amount in 1975 | Value in 1989 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.30 |
| $5.00 | $11.52 |
| $10.00 | $23.05 |
| $20.00 | $46.10 |
| $50.00 | $115 |
| $100 | $230 |
| $500 | $1,152 |
| $1,000 | $2,305 |
| $5,000 | $11,524 |
| $10,000 | $23,048 |
| $100,000 | $230,483 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,304,833 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1975 spending costs in 1989, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1975 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.15% | $230 |
| Medical care | 8.52% | $314 |
| Housing | 6.54% | $243 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.43% | $239 |
| Transportation | 6.06% | $228 |
| Energy | 5.93% | $224 |
| Food | 5.41% | $209 |
| Apparel | 3.58% | $164 |
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 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $220 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $230 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1975 to 1989: $100 is worth $230 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1975-to-1989/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1975 to 1989. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1975-to-1989/
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.