U.S. inflation · 1987–1994
$100 in 1987 has the same buying power as
$130
in 1994
| Cumulative price change | 30.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.87% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $130 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $30.46 |
| CPI in 1987 | 113.6 |
| CPI in 1994 | 148.2 |
| Inflation in 1987 | 3.65% |
| Inflation in 1994 | 2.56% |
| $100 in 1987 → 1994 | $130 |
| $100 in 1994 → 1987 | $76.65 |
Between 1987 and 1994, the Consumer Price Index went from 113.6 to 148.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 30.5%, which works out to an average of 3.87% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1987 bought what $0.77 buys in 1994.
| Amount in 1987 | Value in 1994 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.30 |
| $5.00 | $6.52 |
| $10.00 | $13.05 |
| $20.00 | $26.09 |
| $50.00 | $65.23 |
| $100 | $130 |
| $500 | $652 |
| $1,000 | $1,305 |
| $5,000 | $6,523 |
| $10,000 | $13,046 |
| $100,000 | $130,458 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,304,577 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1987 spending costs in 1994, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1987 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.87% | $130 |
| Medical care | 7.15% | $162 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.09% | $132 |
| Transportation | 3.52% | $127 |
| Food | 3.49% | $127 |
| Housing | 3.45% | $127 |
| Apparel | 2.71% | $121 |
| Energy | 2.40% | $118 |
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 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $127 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $130 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1987 to 1994: $100 is worth $130 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1987-to-1994/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1987 to 1994. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1987-to-1994/
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.