U.S. inflation · 1979–1997
$100 in 1979 has the same buying power as
$221
in 1997
| Cumulative price change | 121.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.51% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $221 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $121 |
| CPI in 1979 | 72.6 |
| CPI in 1997 | 160.5 |
| Inflation in 1979 | 11.35% |
| Inflation in 1997 | 2.29% |
| $100 in 1979 → 1997 | $221 |
| $100 in 1997 → 1979 | $45.23 |
Between 1979 and 1997, the Consumer Price Index went from 72.6 to 160.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 121.1%, which works out to an average of 4.51% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1979 bought what $0.45 buys in 1997.
| Amount in 1979 | Value in 1997 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.21 |
| $5.00 | $11.05 |
| $10.00 | $22.11 |
| $20.00 | $44.21 |
| $50.00 | $111 |
| $100 | $221 |
| $500 | $1,105 |
| $1,000 | $2,211 |
| $5,000 | $11,054 |
| $10,000 | $22,107 |
| $100,000 | $221,074 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,210,744 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1979 spending costs in 1997, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1979 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.51% | $221 |
| Medical care | 7.17% | $348 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.88% | $236 |
| Housing | 4.57% | $224 |
| Transportation | 4.06% | $205 |
| Food | 3.83% | $197 |
| Energy | 2.98% | $170 |
| Apparel | 2.52% | $157 |
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 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $199 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $204 |
| 1995 | 152.4 | 2.8% | $210 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $216 |
| 1997 | 160.5 | 2.3% | $221 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1979 to 1997: $100 is worth $221 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1979-to-1997/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1979 to 1997. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1979-to-1997/
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.