U.S. inflation · 1979–2020
$100 in 1979 has the same buying power as
$356
in 2020
| Cumulative price change | 256.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.15% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $356 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $256 |
| CPI in 1979 | 72.6 |
| CPI in 2020 | 258.811 |
| Inflation in 1979 | 11.35% |
| Inflation in 2020 | 1.23% |
| $100 in 1979 → 2020 | $356 |
| $100 in 2020 → 1979 | $28.05 |
Between 1979 and 2020, the Consumer Price Index went from 72.6 to 258.811. Cumulatively, prices increased 256.5%, which works out to an average of 3.15% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1979 bought what $0.28 buys in 2020.
| Amount in 1979 | Value in 2020 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $3.56 |
| $5.00 | $17.82 |
| $10.00 | $35.65 |
| $20.00 | $71.30 |
| $50.00 | $178 |
| $100 | $356 |
| $500 | $1,782 |
| $1,000 | $3,565 |
| $5,000 | $17,824 |
| $10,000 | $35,649 |
| $100,000 | $356,489 |
| $1,000,000 | $3,564,890 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1979 spending costs in 2020, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1979 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.15% | $356 |
| Medical care | 5.10% | $769 |
| Housing | 3.36% | $388 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.26% | $372 |
| Food | 2.99% | $334 |
| Energy | 2.71% | $300 |
| Transportation | 2.59% | $286 |
| Apparel | 0.81% | $139 |
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 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $125 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $137 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $148 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $156 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $171 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $188 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $199 |
| 1995 | 152.4 | 2.8% | $210 |
| 1997 | 160.5 | 2.3% | $221 |
| 1999 | 166.6 | 2.2% | $229 |
| 2001 | 177.1 | 2.8% | $244 |
| 2003 | 184 | 2.3% | $253 |
| 2005 | 195.3 | 3.4% | $269 |
| 2007 | 207.342 | 2.8% | $286 |
| 2009 | 214.537 | -0.4% | $296 |
| 2011 | 224.939 | 3.2% | $310 |
| 2013 | 232.957 | 1.5% | $321 |
| 2015 | 237.017 | 0.1% | $326 |
| 2017 | 245.12 | 2.1% | $338 |
| 2019 | 255.657 | 1.8% | $352 |
| 2020 | 258.811 | 1.2% | $356 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1979 to 2020: $100 is worth $356 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1979-to-2020/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1979 to 2020. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1979-to-2020/
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.