U.S. inflation · 1984–2021
$100 in 1984 has the same buying power as
$261
in 2021
| Cumulative price change | 160.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.62% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $261 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $161 |
| CPI in 1984 | 103.9 |
| CPI in 2021 | 270.97 |
| Inflation in 1984 | 4.32% |
| Inflation in 2021 | 4.70% |
| $100 in 1984 → 2021 | $261 |
| $100 in 2021 → 1984 | $38.34 |
Between 1984 and 2021, the Consumer Price Index went from 103.9 to 270.97. Cumulatively, prices increased 160.8%, which works out to an average of 2.62% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1984 bought what $0.38 buys in 2021.
| Amount in 1984 | Value in 2021 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.61 |
| $5.00 | $13.04 |
| $10.00 | $26.08 |
| $20.00 | $52.16 |
| $50.00 | $130 |
| $100 | $261 |
| $500 | $1,304 |
| $1,000 | $2,608 |
| $5,000 | $13,040 |
| $10,000 | $26,080 |
| $100,000 | $260,799 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,607,988 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1984 spending costs in 2021, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1984 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.62% | $261 |
| Medical care | 4.40% | $492 |
| Housing | 2.73% | $271 |
| Food | 2.71% | $269 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.67% | $265 |
| Energy | 2.35% | $236 |
| Transportation | 2.18% | $222 |
| Apparel | 0.46% | $119 |
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 |
| 2021 | 270.97 | 4.7% | $261 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1984 to 2021: $100 is worth $261 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1984-to-2021/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1984 to 2021. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1984-to-2021/
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.