U.S. inflation · 1977–1991
$100 in 1977 has the same buying power as
$225
in 1991
| Cumulative price change | 124.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.96% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $225 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $125 |
| CPI in 1977 | 60.6 |
| CPI in 1991 | 136.2 |
| Inflation in 1977 | 6.50% |
| Inflation in 1991 | 4.21% |
| $100 in 1977 → 1991 | $225 |
| $100 in 1991 → 1977 | $44.49 |
Between 1977 and 1991, the Consumer Price Index went from 60.6 to 136.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 124.8%, which works out to an average of 5.96% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1977 bought what $0.44 buys in 1991.
| Amount in 1977 | Value in 1991 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.25 |
| $5.00 | $11.24 |
| $10.00 | $22.48 |
| $20.00 | $44.95 |
| $50.00 | $112 |
| $100 | $225 |
| $500 | $1,124 |
| $1,000 | $2,248 |
| $5,000 | $11,238 |
| $10,000 | $22,475 |
| $100,000 | $224,752 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,247,525 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1977 spending costs in 1991, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1977 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.96% | $225 |
| Medical care | 8.43% | $311 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.23% | $233 |
| Housing | 6.22% | $233 |
| Transportation | 5.44% | $210 |
| Food | 5.37% | $208 |
| Energy | 5.35% | $207 |
| Apparel | 3.58% | $164 |
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 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $164 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $171 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $178 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $181 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $187 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $195 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $205 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $216 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $225 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1977 to 1991: $100 is worth $225 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1977-to-1991/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1977 to 1991. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1977-to-1991/
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.