Between 1985 and 2007, the Consumer Price Index went from 107.6 to 207.342.
Cumulatively, prices increased 92.7%, which works out to an average of
3.03% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1985 bought what
$0.52 buys in 2007.
Common amounts: 1985 dollars in 2007
Amount in 1985
Value in 2007
$1.00
$1.93
$5.00
$9.63
$10.00
$19.27
$20.00
$38.54
$50.00
$96.35
$100
$193
$500
$963
$1,000
$1,927
$5,000
$9,635
$10,000
$19,270
$100,000
$192,697
$1,000,000
$1,926,970
Inflation by spending category, 1985–2007
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this
period. Here is what $100 of 1985 spending costs in 2007, by category:
Category
Avg. yearly inflation
$100 in 1985 →
All items (CPI-U)
3.03%
$193
Medical care
5.27%
$309
Energy
3.30%
$204
Housing
3.07%
$195
Core (all items less food & energy)
3.04%
$193
Food
3.01%
$192
Transportation
2.54%
$174
Apparel
0.57%
$113
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1985: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
MLA: “Inflation from 1985 to 2007: $100 is worth $193 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1985-to-2007/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1985 to 2007. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1985-to-2007/