U.S. inflation · 1978–1986
$100 in 1978 has the same buying power as
$168
in 1986
| Cumulative price change | 68.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.71% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $168 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $68.10 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| CPI in 1986 | 109.6 |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| Inflation in 1986 | 1.86% |
| $100 in 1978 → 1986 | $168 |
| $100 in 1986 → 1978 | $59.49 |
Between 1978 and 1986, the Consumer Price Index went from 65.2 to 109.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 68.1%, which works out to an average of 6.71% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1978 bought what $0.59 buys in 1986.
| Amount in 1978 | Value in 1986 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.68 |
| $5.00 | $8.40 |
| $10.00 | $16.81 |
| $20.00 | $33.62 |
| $50.00 | $84.05 |
| $100 | $168 |
| $500 | $840 |
| $1,000 | $1,681 |
| $5,000 | $8,405 |
| $10,000 | $16,810 |
| $100,000 | $168,098 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,680,982 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1978 spending costs in 1986, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1978 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.71% | $168 |
| Medical care | 8.87% | $197 |
| Housing | 7.45% | $178 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 7.11% | $173 |
| Energy | 6.70% | $168 |
| Transportation | 6.52% | $166 |
| Food | 5.32% | $151 |
| Apparel | 3.34% | $130 |
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 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $168 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1978 to 1986: $100 is worth $168 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1978-to-1986/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1978 to 1986. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1978-to-1986/
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.