U.S. inflation · 1976–1989
$100 in 1976 has the same buying power as
$218
in 1989
| Cumulative price change | 117.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.18% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $218 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $118 |
| CPI in 1976 | 56.9 |
| CPI in 1989 | 124 |
| Inflation in 1976 | 5.76% |
| Inflation in 1989 | 4.82% |
| $100 in 1976 → 1989 | $218 |
| $100 in 1989 → 1976 | $45.89 |
Between 1976 and 1989, the Consumer Price Index went from 56.9 to 124. Cumulatively, prices increased 117.9%, which works out to an average of 6.18% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1976 bought what $0.46 buys in 1989.
| Amount in 1976 | Value in 1989 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.18 |
| $5.00 | $10.90 |
| $10.00 | $21.79 |
| $20.00 | $43.59 |
| $50.00 | $109 |
| $100 | $218 |
| $500 | $1,090 |
| $1,000 | $2,179 |
| $5,000 | $10,896 |
| $10,000 | $21,793 |
| $100,000 | $217,926 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,179,262 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1976 spending costs in 1989, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1976 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.18% | $218 |
| Medical care | 8.45% | $287 |
| Housing | 6.57% | $229 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.43% | $225 |
| Energy | 5.84% | $209 |
| Transportation | 5.76% | $207 |
| Food | 5.60% | $203 |
| Apparel | 3.57% | $158 |
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 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $193 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $200 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $208 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $218 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1976 to 1989: $100 is worth $218 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1976-to-1989/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1976 to 1989. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1976-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.