U.S. inflation · 1984–2020
$100 in 1984 has the same buying power as
$249
in 2020
| Cumulative price change | 149.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.57% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $249 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $149 |
| CPI in 1984 | 103.9 |
| CPI in 2020 | 258.811 |
| Inflation in 1984 | 4.32% |
| Inflation in 2020 | 1.23% |
| $100 in 1984 → 2020 | $249 |
| $100 in 2020 → 1984 | $40.15 |
Between 1984 and 2020, the Consumer Price Index went from 103.9 to 258.811. Cumulatively, prices increased 149.1%, which works out to an average of 2.57% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1984 bought what $0.40 buys in 2020.
| Amount in 1984 | Value in 2020 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.49 |
| $5.00 | $12.45 |
| $10.00 | $24.91 |
| $20.00 | $49.82 |
| $50.00 | $125 |
| $100 | $249 |
| $500 | $1,245 |
| $1,000 | $2,491 |
| $5,000 | $12,455 |
| $10,000 | $24,910 |
| $100,000 | $249,096 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,490,962 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1984 spending costs in 2020, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1984 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.57% | $249 |
| Medical care | 4.49% | $486 |
| Housing | 2.72% | $262 |
| Food | 2.68% | $259 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.64% | $256 |
| Energy | 1.88% | $195 |
| Transportation | 1.86% | $194 |
| Apparel | 0.40% | $116 |
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 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $105 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $114 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $126 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $135 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $143 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $151 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $157 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | 3.4% | $166 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $173 |
| 2004 | 188.9 | 2.7% | $182 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $194 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $207 |
| 2010 | 218.056 | 1.6% | $210 |
| 2012 | 229.594 | 2.1% | $221 |
| 2014 | 236.736 | 1.6% | $228 |
| 2016 | 240.007 | 1.3% | $231 |
| 2018 | 251.107 | 2.4% | $242 |
| 2020 | 258.811 | 1.2% | $249 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1984 to 2020: $100 is worth $249 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1984-to-2020/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1984 to 2020. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1984-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.