U.S. inflation · 1976–1985
$100 in 1976 has the same buying power as
$189
in 1985
| Cumulative price change | 89.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 7.34% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $189 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $89.10 |
| CPI in 1976 | 56.9 |
| CPI in 1985 | 107.6 |
| Inflation in 1976 | 5.76% |
| Inflation in 1985 | 3.56% |
| $100 in 1976 → 1985 | $189 |
| $100 in 1985 → 1976 | $52.88 |
Between 1976 and 1985, the Consumer Price Index went from 56.9 to 107.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 89.1%, which works out to an average of 7.34% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1976 bought what $0.53 buys in 1985.
| Amount in 1976 | Value in 1985 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.89 |
| $5.00 | $9.46 |
| $10.00 | $18.91 |
| $20.00 | $37.82 |
| $50.00 | $94.55 |
| $100 | $189 |
| $500 | $946 |
| $1,000 | $1,891 |
| $5,000 | $9,455 |
| $10,000 | $18,910 |
| $100,000 | $189,104 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,891,037 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1976 spending costs in 1985, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1976 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 7.34% | $189 |
| Energy | 9.44% | $225 |
| Medical care | 9.06% | $218 |
| Housing | 8.02% | $200 |
| Transportation | 7.59% | $193 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 7.40% | $190 |
| Food | 6.17% | $171 |
| Apparel | 3.78% | $140 |
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 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $175 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $183 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $189 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1976 to 1985: $100 is worth $189 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1976-to-1985/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1976 to 1985. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1976-to-1985/
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.