U.S. inflation · 1985–1997
$100 in 1985 has the same buying power as
$149
in 1997
| Cumulative price change | 49.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.39% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $149 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $49.16 |
| CPI in 1985 | 107.6 |
| CPI in 1997 | 160.5 |
| Inflation in 1985 | 3.56% |
| Inflation in 1997 | 2.29% |
| $100 in 1985 → 1997 | $149 |
| $100 in 1997 → 1985 | $67.04 |
Between 1985 and 1997, the Consumer Price Index went from 107.6 to 160.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 49.2%, which works out to an average of 3.39% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1985 bought what $0.67 buys in 1997.
| Amount in 1985 | Value in 1997 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.49 |
| $5.00 | $7.46 |
| $10.00 | $14.92 |
| $20.00 | $29.83 |
| $50.00 | $74.58 |
| $100 | $149 |
| $500 | $746 |
| $1,000 | $1,492 |
| $5,000 | $7,458 |
| $10,000 | $14,916 |
| $100,000 | $149,164 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,491,636 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1985 spending costs in 1997, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1985 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.39% | $149 |
| Medical care | 6.24% | $207 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.74% | $155 |
| Food | 3.38% | $149 |
| Housing | 3.18% | $146 |
| Transportation | 2.57% | $136 |
| Apparel | 1.98% | $127 |
| Energy | 0.78% | $110 |
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 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $121 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $127 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $130 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $134 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $138 |
| 1995 | 152.4 | 2.8% | $142 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $146 |
| 1997 | 160.5 | 2.3% | $149 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1985 to 1997: $100 is worth $149 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1985-to-1997/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1985 to 1997. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1985-to-1997/
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.