U.S. inflation · 1979–1989
$100 in 1979 has the same buying power as
$171
in 1989
| Cumulative price change | 70.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.50% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $171 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $70.80 |
| CPI in 1979 | 72.6 |
| CPI in 1989 | 124 |
| Inflation in 1979 | 11.35% |
| Inflation in 1989 | 4.82% |
| $100 in 1979 → 1989 | $171 |
| $100 in 1989 → 1979 | $58.55 |
Between 1979 and 1989, the Consumer Price Index went from 72.6 to 124. Cumulatively, prices increased 70.8%, which works out to an average of 5.50% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1979 bought what $0.59 buys in 1989.
| Amount in 1979 | Value in 1989 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.71 |
| $5.00 | $8.54 |
| $10.00 | $17.08 |
| $20.00 | $34.16 |
| $50.00 | $85.40 |
| $100 | $171 |
| $500 | $854 |
| $1,000 | $1,708 |
| $5,000 | $8,540 |
| $10,000 | $17,080 |
| $100,000 | $170,799 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,707,989 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1979 spending costs in 1989, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1979 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.50% | $171 |
| Medical care | 8.26% | $221 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.02% | $179 |
| Housing | 5.78% | $175 |
| Transportation | 4.93% | $162 |
| Food | 4.59% | $157 |
| Energy | 3.68% | $144 |
| Apparel | 3.40% | $140 |
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 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $156 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $163 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $171 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1979 to 1989: $100 is worth $171 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1979-to-1989/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1979 to 1989. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1979-to-1989/
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.