U.S. inflation · 1985–1988
$100 in 1985 has the same buying power as
$110
in 1988
| Cumulative price change | 9.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.21% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $110 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $9.94 |
| CPI in 1985 | 107.6 |
| CPI in 1988 | 118.3 |
| Inflation in 1985 | 3.56% |
| Inflation in 1988 | 4.14% |
| $100 in 1985 → 1988 | $110 |
| $100 in 1988 → 1985 | $90.96 |
Between 1985 and 1988, the Consumer Price Index went from 107.6 to 118.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 9.9%, which works out to an average of 3.21% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1985 bought what $0.91 buys in 1988.
| Amount in 1985 | Value in 1988 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.10 |
| $5.00 | $5.50 |
| $10.00 | $10.99 |
| $20.00 | $21.99 |
| $50.00 | $54.97 |
| $100 | $110 |
| $500 | $550 |
| $1,000 | $1,099 |
| $5,000 | $5,497 |
| $10,000 | $10,994 |
| $100,000 | $109,944 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,099,442 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1985 spending costs in 1988, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1985 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.21% | $110 |
| Medical care | 6.89% | $122 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.19% | $113 |
| Food | 3.83% | $112 |
| Housing | 3.24% | $110 |
| Apparel | 3.20% | $110 |
| Transportation | 0.72% | $102 |
| Energy | -4.21% | $87.89 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1985: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1985 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $100 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $102 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $106 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $110 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1985 to 1988: $100 is worth $110 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1985-to-1988/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1985 to 1988. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1985-to-1988/
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.