U.S. inflation · 1985–1989
$100 in 1985 has the same buying power as
$115
in 1989
| Cumulative price change | 15.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.61% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $115 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $15.24 |
| CPI in 1985 | 107.6 |
| CPI in 1989 | 124 |
| Inflation in 1985 | 3.56% |
| Inflation in 1989 | 4.82% |
| $100 in 1985 → 1989 | $115 |
| $100 in 1989 → 1985 | $86.77 |
Between 1985 and 1989, the Consumer Price Index went from 107.6 to 124. Cumulatively, prices increased 15.2%, which works out to an average of 3.61% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1985 bought what $0.87 buys in 1989.
| Amount in 1985 | Value in 1989 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.15 |
| $5.00 | $5.76 |
| $10.00 | $11.52 |
| $20.00 | $23.05 |
| $50.00 | $57.62 |
| $100 | $115 |
| $500 | $576 |
| $1,000 | $1,152 |
| $5,000 | $5,762 |
| $10,000 | $11,524 |
| $100,000 | $115,242 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,152,416 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1985 spending costs in 1989, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1985 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.61% | $115 |
| Medical care | 7.09% | $132 |
| Food | 4.33% | $118 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.28% | $118 |
| Housing | 3.38% | $114 |
| Apparel | 3.09% | $113 |
| Transportation | 1.76% | $107 |
| Energy | -1.85% | $92.81 |
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 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $115 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1985 to 1989: $100 is worth $115 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1985-to-1989/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1985 to 1989. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1985-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.