U.S. inflation · 1984–1989
$100 in 1984 has the same buying power as
$119
in 1989
| Cumulative price change | 19.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.60% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $119 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $19.35 |
| CPI in 1984 | 103.9 |
| CPI in 1989 | 124 |
| Inflation in 1984 | 4.32% |
| Inflation in 1989 | 4.82% |
| $100 in 1984 → 1989 | $119 |
| $100 in 1989 → 1984 | $83.79 |
Between 1984 and 1989, the Consumer Price Index went from 103.9 to 124. Cumulatively, prices increased 19.3%, which works out to an average of 3.60% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1984 bought what $0.84 buys in 1989.
| Amount in 1984 | Value in 1989 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.19 |
| $5.00 | $5.97 |
| $10.00 | $11.93 |
| $20.00 | $23.87 |
| $50.00 | $59.67 |
| $100 | $119 |
| $500 | $597 |
| $1,000 | $1,193 |
| $5,000 | $5,967 |
| $10,000 | $11,935 |
| $100,000 | $119,346 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,193,455 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1984 spending costs in 1989, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1984 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.60% | $119 |
| Medical care | 6.93% | $140 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.28% | $123 |
| Food | 3.92% | $121 |
| Housing | 3.49% | $119 |
| Apparel | 3.04% | $116 |
| Transportation | 1.93% | $110 |
| Energy | -1.34% | $93.46 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1984: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1984 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $100 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $104 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $105 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $109 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $114 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $119 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1984 to 1989: $100 is worth $119 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1984-to-1989/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1984 to 1989. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1984-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.