U.S. inflation · 1978–1987
$100 in 1978 has the same buying power as
$174
in 1987
| Cumulative price change | 74.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.36% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $174 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $74.23 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| CPI in 1987 | 113.6 |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| Inflation in 1987 | 3.65% |
| $100 in 1978 → 1987 | $174 |
| $100 in 1987 → 1978 | $57.39 |
Between 1978 and 1987, the Consumer Price Index went from 65.2 to 113.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 74.2%, which works out to an average of 6.36% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1978 bought what $0.57 buys in 1987.
| Amount in 1978 | Value in 1987 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.74 |
| $5.00 | $8.71 |
| $10.00 | $17.42 |
| $20.00 | $34.85 |
| $50.00 | $87.12 |
| $100 | $174 |
| $500 | $871 |
| $1,000 | $1,742 |
| $5,000 | $8,712 |
| $10,000 | $17,423 |
| $100,000 | $174,233 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,742,331 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1978 spending costs in 1987, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1978 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.36% | $174 |
| Medical care | 8.62% | $211 |
| Housing | 6.95% | $183 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.78% | $180 |
| Transportation | 6.13% | $171 |
| Energy | 5.99% | $169 |
| Food | 5.19% | $158 |
| Apparel | 3.46% | $136 |
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 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $174 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1978 to 1987: $100 is worth $174 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1978-to-1987/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1978 to 1987. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1978-to-1987/
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.