U.S. inflation · 1988–1996
$100 in 1988 has the same buying power as
$133
in 1996
| Cumulative price change | 32.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.59% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $133 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $32.63 |
| CPI in 1988 | 118.3 |
| CPI in 1996 | 156.9 |
| Inflation in 1988 | 4.14% |
| Inflation in 1996 | 2.95% |
| $100 in 1988 → 1996 | $133 |
| $100 in 1996 → 1988 | $75.40 |
Between 1988 and 1996, the Consumer Price Index went from 118.3 to 156.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 32.6%, which works out to an average of 3.59% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1988 bought what $0.75 buys in 1996.
| Amount in 1988 | Value in 1996 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.33 |
| $5.00 | $6.63 |
| $10.00 | $13.26 |
| $20.00 | $26.53 |
| $50.00 | $66.31 |
| $100 | $133 |
| $500 | $663 |
| $1,000 | $1,326 |
| $5,000 | $6,631 |
| $10,000 | $13,263 |
| $100,000 | $132,629 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,326,289 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1988 spending costs in 1996, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1988 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.59% | $133 |
| Medical care | 6.43% | $165 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.75% | $134 |
| Transportation | 3.49% | $132 |
| Food | 3.30% | $130 |
| Housing | 3.23% | $129 |
| Energy | 2.65% | $123 |
| Apparel | 1.67% | $114 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1988: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1988 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $100 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $105 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $110 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $115 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $119 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $122 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $125 |
| 1995 | 152.4 | 2.8% | $129 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $133 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1988 to 1996: $100 is worth $133 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1988-to-1996/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1988 to 1996. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1988-to-1996/
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.