U.S. inflation · 1986–1992
$100 in 1986 has the same buying power as
$128
in 1992
| Cumulative price change | 28.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.20% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $128 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $28.01 |
| CPI in 1986 | 109.6 |
| CPI in 1992 | 140.3 |
| Inflation in 1986 | 1.86% |
| Inflation in 1992 | 3.01% |
| $100 in 1986 → 1992 | $128 |
| $100 in 1992 → 1986 | $78.12 |
Between 1986 and 1992, the Consumer Price Index went from 109.6 to 140.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 28.0%, which works out to an average of 4.20% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1986 bought what $0.78 buys in 1992.
| Amount in 1986 | Value in 1992 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.28 |
| $5.00 | $6.40 |
| $10.00 | $12.80 |
| $20.00 | $25.60 |
| $50.00 | $64.01 |
| $100 | $128 |
| $500 | $640 |
| $1,000 | $1,280 |
| $5,000 | $6,401 |
| $10,000 | $12,801 |
| $100,000 | $128,011 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,280,109 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1986 spending costs in 1992, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1986 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.20% | $128 |
| Medical care | 7.67% | $156 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.44% | $130 |
| Food | 4.00% | $127 |
| Apparel | 3.73% | $125 |
| Housing | 3.65% | $124 |
| Transportation | 3.60% | $124 |
| Energy | 2.62% | $117 |
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 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $128 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1986 to 1992: $100 is worth $128 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1986-to-1992/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1986 to 1992. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1986-to-1992/
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.