U.S. inflation · 1978–1988
$100 in 1978 has the same buying power as
$181
in 1988
| Cumulative price change | 81.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.14% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $181 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $81.44 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| CPI in 1988 | 118.3 |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| Inflation in 1988 | 4.14% |
| $100 in 1978 → 1988 | $181 |
| $100 in 1988 → 1978 | $55.11 |
Between 1978 and 1988, the Consumer Price Index went from 65.2 to 118.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 81.4%, which works out to an average of 6.14% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1978 bought what $0.55 buys in 1988.
| Amount in 1978 | Value in 1988 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.81 |
| $5.00 | $9.07 |
| $10.00 | $18.14 |
| $20.00 | $36.29 |
| $50.00 | $90.72 |
| $100 | $181 |
| $500 | $907 |
| $1,000 | $1,814 |
| $5,000 | $9,072 |
| $10,000 | $18,144 |
| $100,000 | $181,442 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,814,417 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1978 spending costs in 1988, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1978 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.14% | $181 |
| Medical care | 8.41% | $224 |
| Housing | 6.62% | $190 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.54% | $188 |
| Transportation | 5.83% | $176 |
| Energy | 5.46% | $170 |
| Food | 5.08% | $164 |
| Apparel | 3.55% | $142 |
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 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $181 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1978 to 1988: $100 is worth $181 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1978-to-1988/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1978 to 1988. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1978-to-1988/
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.