U.S. inflation · 1979–1992
$100 in 1979 has the same buying power as
$193
in 1992
| Cumulative price change | 93.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.20% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $193 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $93.25 |
| CPI in 1979 | 72.6 |
| CPI in 1992 | 140.3 |
| Inflation in 1979 | 11.35% |
| Inflation in 1992 | 3.01% |
| $100 in 1979 → 1992 | $193 |
| $100 in 1992 → 1979 | $51.75 |
Between 1979 and 1992, the Consumer Price Index went from 72.6 to 140.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 93.3%, which works out to an average of 5.20% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1979 bought what $0.52 buys in 1992.
| Amount in 1979 | Value in 1992 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.93 |
| $5.00 | $9.66 |
| $10.00 | $19.33 |
| $20.00 | $38.65 |
| $50.00 | $96.63 |
| $100 | $193 |
| $500 | $966 |
| $1,000 | $1,933 |
| $5,000 | $9,663 |
| $10,000 | $19,325 |
| $100,000 | $193,251 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,932,507 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1979 spending costs in 1992, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1979 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.20% | $193 |
| Medical care | 8.29% | $282 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.67% | $205 |
| Housing | 5.32% | $196 |
| Transportation | 4.60% | $179 |
| Food | 4.29% | $173 |
| Energy | 3.52% | $157 |
| Apparel | 3.45% | $155 |
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 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $180 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $188 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $193 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1979 to 1992: $100 is worth $193 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1979-to-1992/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1979 to 1992. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1979-to-1992/
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.