U.S. inflation · 1978–1984
$100 in 1978 has the same buying power as
$159
in 1984
| Cumulative price change | 59.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 8.08% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $159 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $59.36 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| CPI in 1984 | 103.9 |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| Inflation in 1984 | 4.32% |
| $100 in 1978 → 1984 | $159 |
| $100 in 1984 → 1978 | $62.75 |
Between 1978 and 1984, the Consumer Price Index went from 65.2 to 103.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 59.4%, which works out to an average of 8.08% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1978 bought what $0.63 buys in 1984.
| Amount in 1978 | Value in 1984 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.59 |
| $5.00 | $7.97 |
| $10.00 | $15.94 |
| $20.00 | $31.87 |
| $50.00 | $79.68 |
| $100 | $159 |
| $500 | $797 |
| $1,000 | $1,594 |
| $5,000 | $7,968 |
| $10,000 | $15,936 |
| $100,000 | $159,356 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,593,558 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1978 spending costs in 1984, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1978 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 8.08% | $159 |
| Energy | 11.50% | $192 |
| Medical care | 9.55% | $173 |
| Transportation | 9.04% | $168 |
| Housing | 8.82% | $166 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 8.11% | $160 |
| Food | 6.18% | $143 |
| Apparel | 3.85% | $125 |
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 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $159 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1978 to 1984: $100 is worth $159 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1978-to-1984/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1978 to 1984. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1978-to-1984/
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.