U.S. inflation · 1986–1991
$100 in 1986 has the same buying power as
$124
in 1991
| Cumulative price change | 24.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.44% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $124 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $24.27 |
| CPI in 1986 | 109.6 |
| CPI in 1991 | 136.2 |
| Inflation in 1986 | 1.86% |
| Inflation in 1991 | 4.21% |
| $100 in 1986 → 1991 | $124 |
| $100 in 1991 → 1986 | $80.47 |
Between 1986 and 1991, the Consumer Price Index went from 109.6 to 136.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 24.3%, which works out to an average of 4.44% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1986 bought what $0.80 buys in 1991.
| Amount in 1986 | Value in 1991 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.24 |
| $5.00 | $6.21 |
| $10.00 | $12.43 |
| $20.00 | $24.85 |
| $50.00 | $62.14 |
| $100 | $124 |
| $500 | $621 |
| $1,000 | $1,243 |
| $5,000 | $6,214 |
| $10,000 | $12,427 |
| $100,000 | $124,270 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,242,701 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1986 spending costs in 1991, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1986 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.44% | $124 |
| Medical care | 7.73% | $145 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.60% | $125 |
| Food | 4.57% | $125 |
| Apparel | 3.98% | $122 |
| Transportation | 3.89% | $121 |
| Housing | 3.79% | $120 |
| Energy | 3.05% | $116 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1986: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1986 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $100 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $104 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $108 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $113 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $119 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $124 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1986 to 1991: $100 is worth $124 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1986-to-1991/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1986 to 1991. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1986-to-1991/
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.