U.S. inflation · 1976–1982
$100 in 1976 has the same buying power as
$170
in 1982
| Cumulative price change | 69.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 9.20% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $170 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $69.60 |
| CPI in 1976 | 56.9 |
| CPI in 1982 | 96.5 |
| Inflation in 1976 | 5.76% |
| Inflation in 1982 | 6.16% |
| $100 in 1976 → 1982 | $170 |
| $100 in 1982 → 1976 | $58.96 |
Between 1976 and 1982, the Consumer Price Index went from 56.9 to 96.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 69.6%, which works out to an average of 9.20% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1976 bought what $0.59 buys in 1982.
| Amount in 1976 | Value in 1982 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.70 |
| $5.00 | $8.48 |
| $10.00 | $16.96 |
| $20.00 | $33.92 |
| $50.00 | $84.80 |
| $100 | $170 |
| $500 | $848 |
| $1,000 | $1,696 |
| $5,000 | $8,480 |
| $10,000 | $16,960 |
| $100,000 | $169,596 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,695,958 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1976 spending costs in 1982, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1976 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 9.20% | $170 |
| Energy | 14.04% | $220 |
| Housing | 10.30% | $180 |
| Medical care | 10.08% | $178 |
| Transportation | 9.88% | $176 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 8.91% | $167 |
| Food | 7.94% | $158 |
| Apparel | 4.48% | $130 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1976: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1976 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $100 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $107 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $115 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $128 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $145 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $160 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $170 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1976 to 1982: $100 is worth $170 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1976-to-1982/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1976 to 1982. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1976-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.