U.S. inflation · 1979–2008
$100 in 1979 has the same buying power as
$297
in 2008
| Cumulative price change | 196.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.82% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $297 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $197 |
| CPI in 1979 | 72.6 |
| CPI in 2008 | 215.303 |
| Inflation in 1979 | 11.35% |
| Inflation in 2008 | 3.84% |
| $100 in 1979 → 2008 | $297 |
| $100 in 2008 → 1979 | $33.72 |
Between 1979 and 2008, the Consumer Price Index went from 72.6 to 215.303. Cumulatively, prices increased 196.6%, which works out to an average of 3.82% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1979 bought what $0.34 buys in 2008.
| Amount in 1979 | Value in 2008 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.97 |
| $5.00 | $14.83 |
| $10.00 | $29.66 |
| $20.00 | $59.31 |
| $50.00 | $148 |
| $100 | $297 |
| $500 | $1,483 |
| $1,000 | $2,966 |
| $5,000 | $14,828 |
| $10,000 | $29,656 |
| $100,000 | $296,561 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,965,606 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1979 spending costs in 2008, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1979 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.82% | $297 |
| Medical care | 5.98% | $539 |
| Energy | 4.52% | $360 |
| Housing | 3.96% | $309 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.86% | $300 |
| Transportation | 3.58% | $277 |
| Food | 3.46% | $268 |
| Apparel | 1.17% | $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 |
| 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 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $225 |
| 1999 | 166.6 | 2.2% | $229 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | 3.4% | $237 |
| 2001 | 177.1 | 2.8% | $244 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $248 |
| 2003 | 184 | 2.3% | $253 |
| 2004 | 188.9 | 2.7% | $260 |
| 2005 | 195.3 | 3.4% | $269 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $278 |
| 2007 | 207.342 | 2.8% | $286 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $297 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1979 to 2008: $100 is worth $297 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1979-to-2008/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1979 to 2008. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1979-to-2008/
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.