U.S. inflation · 1979–1986
$100 in 1979 has the same buying power as
$151
in 1986
| Cumulative price change | 51.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.06% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $151 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $50.96 |
| CPI in 1979 | 72.6 |
| CPI in 1986 | 109.6 |
| Inflation in 1979 | 11.35% |
| Inflation in 1986 | 1.86% |
| $100 in 1979 → 1986 | $151 |
| $100 in 1986 → 1979 | $66.24 |
Between 1979 and 1986, the Consumer Price Index went from 72.6 to 109.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 51.0%, which works out to an average of 6.06% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1979 bought what $0.66 buys in 1986.
| Amount in 1979 | Value in 1986 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.51 |
| $5.00 | $7.55 |
| $10.00 | $15.10 |
| $20.00 | $30.19 |
| $50.00 | $75.48 |
| $100 | $151 |
| $500 | $755 |
| $1,000 | $1,510 |
| $5,000 | $7,548 |
| $10,000 | $15,096 |
| $100,000 | $150,964 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,509,642 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1979 spending costs in 1986, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1979 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.06% | $151 |
| Medical care | 8.82% | $181 |
| Housing | 6.77% | $158 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.74% | $158 |
| Transportation | 5.46% | $145 |
| Food | 4.54% | $136 |
| Energy | 4.30% | $134 |
| Apparel | 3.21% | $125 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1979: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $100 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $113 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $125 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $133 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $137 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $143 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $148 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $151 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1979 to 1986: $100 is worth $151 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1979-to-1986/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1979 to 1986. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1979-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.