U.S. inflation · 1982–1989
$100 in 1982 has the same buying power as
$128
in 1989
| Cumulative price change | 28.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.65% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $128 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $28.50 |
| CPI in 1982 | 96.5 |
| CPI in 1989 | 124 |
| Inflation in 1982 | 6.16% |
| Inflation in 1989 | 4.82% |
| $100 in 1982 → 1989 | $128 |
| $100 in 1989 → 1982 | $77.82 |
Between 1982 and 1989, the Consumer Price Index went from 96.5 to 124. Cumulatively, prices increased 28.5%, which works out to an average of 3.65% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1982 bought what $0.78 buys in 1989.
| Amount in 1982 | Value in 1989 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.28 |
| $5.00 | $6.42 |
| $10.00 | $12.85 |
| $20.00 | $25.70 |
| $50.00 | $64.25 |
| $100 | $128 |
| $500 | $642 |
| $1,000 | $1,285 |
| $5,000 | $6,425 |
| $10,000 | $12,850 |
| $100,000 | $128,497 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,284,974 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1982 spending costs in 1989, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1982 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.65% | $128 |
| Medical care | 7.08% | $161 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.34% | $135 |
| Food | 3.64% | $128 |
| Housing | 3.47% | $127 |
| Apparel | 2.79% | $121 |
| Transportation | 2.35% | $118 |
| Energy | -0.72% | $95.06 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1982: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1982 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $100 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $103 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $108 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $112 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $114 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $118 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $123 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $128 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1982 to 1989: $100 is worth $128 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1982-to-1989/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1982 to 1989. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1982-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.