U.S. inflation · 1978–1991
$100 in 1978 has the same buying power as
$209
in 1991
| Cumulative price change | 108.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.83% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $209 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $109 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| CPI in 1991 | 136.2 |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| Inflation in 1991 | 4.21% |
| $100 in 1978 → 1991 | $209 |
| $100 in 1991 → 1978 | $47.87 |
Between 1978 and 1991, the Consumer Price Index went from 65.2 to 136.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 108.9%, which works out to an average of 5.83% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1978 bought what $0.48 buys in 1991.
| Amount in 1978 | Value in 1991 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.09 |
| $5.00 | $10.44 |
| $10.00 | $20.89 |
| $20.00 | $41.78 |
| $50.00 | $104 |
| $100 | $209 |
| $500 | $1,044 |
| $1,000 | $2,089 |
| $5,000 | $10,445 |
| $10,000 | $20,890 |
| $100,000 | $208,896 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,088,957 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1978 spending costs in 1991, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1978 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.83% | $209 |
| Medical care | 8.43% | $286 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.14% | $217 |
| Housing | 6.03% | $214 |
| Transportation | 5.50% | $201 |
| Energy | 5.28% | $195 |
| Food | 5.03% | $189 |
| Apparel | 3.59% | $158 |
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 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $190 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $200 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $209 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1978 to 1991: $100 is worth $209 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1978-to-1991/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1978 to 1991. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1978-to-1991/
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.