U.S. inflation · 1978–1985
$100 in 1978 has the same buying power as
$165
in 1985
| Cumulative price change | 65.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 7.42% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $165 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $65.03 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| CPI in 1985 | 107.6 |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| Inflation in 1985 | 3.56% |
| $100 in 1978 → 1985 | $165 |
| $100 in 1985 → 1978 | $60.59 |
Between 1978 and 1985, the Consumer Price Index went from 65.2 to 107.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 65.0%, which works out to an average of 7.42% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1978 bought what $0.61 buys in 1985.
| Amount in 1978 | Value in 1985 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.65 |
| $5.00 | $8.25 |
| $10.00 | $16.50 |
| $20.00 | $33.01 |
| $50.00 | $82.52 |
| $100 | $165 |
| $500 | $825 |
| $1,000 | $1,650 |
| $5,000 | $8,252 |
| $10,000 | $16,503 |
| $100,000 | $165,031 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,650,307 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1978 spending costs in 1985, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1978 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 7.42% | $165 |
| Energy | 9.89% | $194 |
| Medical care | 9.07% | $184 |
| Housing | 8.11% | $173 |
| Transportation | 8.10% | $172 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 7.56% | $167 |
| Food | 5.62% | $147 |
| Apparel | 3.70% | $129 |
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 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $165 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1978 to 1985: $100 is worth $165 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1978-to-1985/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1978 to 1985. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1978-to-1985/
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.