U.S. inflation · 1977–1982
$100 in 1977 has the same buying power as
$159
in 1982
| Cumulative price change | 59.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 9.75% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $159 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $59.24 |
| CPI in 1977 | 60.6 |
| CPI in 1982 | 96.5 |
| Inflation in 1977 | 6.50% |
| Inflation in 1982 | 6.16% |
| $100 in 1977 → 1982 | $159 |
| $100 in 1982 → 1977 | $62.80 |
Between 1977 and 1982, the Consumer Price Index went from 60.6 to 96.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 59.2%, which works out to an average of 9.75% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1977 bought what $0.63 buys in 1982.
| Amount in 1977 | Value in 1982 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.59 |
| $5.00 | $7.96 |
| $10.00 | $15.92 |
| $20.00 | $31.85 |
| $50.00 | $79.62 |
| $100 | $159 |
| $500 | $796 |
| $1,000 | $1,592 |
| $5,000 | $7,962 |
| $10,000 | $15,924 |
| $100,000 | $159,241 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,592,409 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1977 spending costs in 1982, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1977 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 9.75% | $159 |
| Energy | 14.96% | $201 |
| Housing | 11.04% | $169 |
| Transportation | 10.45% | $164 |
| Medical care | 10.17% | $162 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 9.45% | $157 |
| Food | 8.26% | $149 |
| Apparel | 4.47% | $124 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1977: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1977 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $100 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $108 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $120 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $136 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $150 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $159 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1977 to 1982: $100 is worth $159 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1977-to-1982/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1977 to 1982. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1977-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.