U.S. inflation · 1978–1983
$100 in 1978 has the same buying power as
$153
in 1983
| Cumulative price change | 52.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 8.84% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $153 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $52.76 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| CPI in 1983 | 99.6 |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| Inflation in 1983 | 3.21% |
| $100 in 1978 → 1983 | $153 |
| $100 in 1983 → 1978 | $65.46 |
Between 1978 and 1983, the Consumer Price Index went from 65.2 to 99.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 52.8%, which works out to an average of 8.84% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1978 bought what $0.65 buys in 1983.
| Amount in 1978 | Value in 1983 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.53 |
| $5.00 | $7.64 |
| $10.00 | $15.28 |
| $20.00 | $30.55 |
| $50.00 | $76.38 |
| $100 | $153 |
| $500 | $764 |
| $1,000 | $1,528 |
| $5,000 | $7,638 |
| $10,000 | $15,276 |
| $100,000 | $152,761 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,527,607 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1978 spending costs in 1983, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1978 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 8.84% | $153 |
| Energy | 13.73% | $190 |
| Medical care | 10.24% | $163 |
| Transportation | 9.98% | $161 |
| Housing | 9.78% | $159 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 8.74% | $152 |
| Food | 6.66% | $138 |
| Apparel | 4.24% | $123 |
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 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $153 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1978 to 1983: $100 is worth $153 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1978-to-1983/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1978 to 1983. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1978-to-1983/
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.