U.S. inflation · 1978–1982
$100 in 1978 has the same buying power as
$148
in 1982
| Cumulative price change | 48.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 10.30% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $148 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $48.01 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| CPI in 1982 | 96.5 |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| Inflation in 1982 | 6.16% |
| $100 in 1978 → 1982 | $148 |
| $100 in 1982 → 1978 | $67.56 |
Between 1978 and 1982, the Consumer Price Index went from 65.2 to 96.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 48.0%, which works out to an average of 10.30% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1978 bought what $0.68 buys in 1982.
| Amount in 1978 | Value in 1982 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.48 |
| $5.00 | $7.40 |
| $10.00 | $14.80 |
| $20.00 | $29.60 |
| $50.00 | $74.00 |
| $100 | $148 |
| $500 | $740 |
| $1,000 | $1,480 |
| $5,000 | $7,400 |
| $10,000 | $14,801 |
| $100,000 | $148,006 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,480,061 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1978 spending costs in 1982, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1978 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 10.30% | $148 |
| Energy | 17.24% | $189 |
| Transportation | 11.98% | $157 |
| Housing | 11.63% | $155 |
| Medical care | 10.61% | $150 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 9.97% | $146 |
| Food | 7.85% | $135 |
| Apparel | 4.70% | $120 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1978: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1978 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $100 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $111 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $126 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $139 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $148 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1978 to 1982: $100 is worth $148 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1978-to-1982/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1978 to 1982. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1978-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.