U.S. inflation · 1987–1992
$100 in 1987 has the same buying power as
$124
in 1992
| Cumulative price change | 23.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.31% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $124 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $23.50 |
| CPI in 1987 | 113.6 |
| CPI in 1992 | 140.3 |
| Inflation in 1987 | 3.65% |
| Inflation in 1992 | 3.01% |
| $100 in 1987 → 1992 | $124 |
| $100 in 1992 → 1987 | $80.97 |
Between 1987 and 1992, the Consumer Price Index went from 113.6 to 140.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 23.5%, which works out to an average of 4.31% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1987 bought what $0.81 buys in 1992.
| Amount in 1987 | Value in 1992 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.24 |
| $5.00 | $6.18 |
| $10.00 | $12.35 |
| $20.00 | $24.70 |
| $50.00 | $61.75 |
| $100 | $124 |
| $500 | $618 |
| $1,000 | $1,235 |
| $5,000 | $6,175 |
| $10,000 | $12,350 |
| $100,000 | $123,504 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,235,035 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1987 spending costs in 1992, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1987 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.31% | $124 |
| Medical care | 7.88% | $146 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.50% | $125 |
| Food | 3.97% | $121 |
| Housing | 3.78% | $120 |
| Transportation | 3.72% | $120 |
| Apparel | 3.59% | $119 |
| Energy | 3.06% | $116 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1987: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1987 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $100 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $104 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $109 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $115 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $120 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $124 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1987 to 1992: $100 is worth $124 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1987-to-1992/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1987 to 1992. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1987-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.