U.S. inflation · 1975–2008
$100 in 1975 has the same buying power as
$400
in 2008
| Cumulative price change | 300.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.29% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $400 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $300 |
| CPI in 1975 | 53.8 |
| CPI in 2008 | 215.303 |
| Inflation in 1975 | 9.13% |
| Inflation in 2008 | 3.84% |
| $100 in 1975 → 2008 | $400 |
| $100 in 2008 → 1975 | $24.99 |
Between 1975 and 2008, the Consumer Price Index went from 53.8 to 215.303. Cumulatively, prices increased 300.2%, which works out to an average of 4.29% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1975 bought what $0.25 buys in 2008.
| Amount in 1975 | Value in 2008 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $4.00 |
| $5.00 | $20.01 |
| $10.00 | $40.02 |
| $20.00 | $80.04 |
| $50.00 | $200 |
| $100 | $400 |
| $500 | $2,001 |
| $1,000 | $4,002 |
| $5,000 | $20,010 |
| $10,000 | $40,019 |
| $100,000 | $400,191 |
| $1,000,000 | $4,001,914 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1975 spending costs in 2008, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1975 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.29% | $400 |
| Medical care | 6.37% | $766 |
| Energy | 5.37% | $562 |
| Housing | 4.49% | $427 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.29% | $400 |
| Transportation | 4.21% | $390 |
| Food | 3.94% | $358 |
| Apparel | 1.51% | $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 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $113 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $135 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $169 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $185 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $200 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $211 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $230 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $253 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $269 |
| 1995 | 152.4 | 2.8% | $283 |
| 1997 | 160.5 | 2.3% | $298 |
| 1999 | 166.6 | 2.2% | $310 |
| 2001 | 177.1 | 2.8% | $329 |
| 2003 | 184 | 2.3% | $342 |
| 2005 | 195.3 | 3.4% | $363 |
| 2007 | 207.342 | 2.8% | $385 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $400 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1975 to 2008: $100 is worth $400 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1975-to-2008/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1975 to 2008. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1975-to-2008/
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.