$100 in 1978 is worth $246.05 in 1997

2.46× price rise

Average US inflation: 4.85% a year over 19 years. Prices first doubled by 1990. Highest year: 1980 (13.5%). Lowest: 1986 (1.9%).

Converter

1978in 19971997 amount in 1978 money
$1$2.46$0.41
$10$24.60$4.06
$100$246.05$40.64
$1,000$2,460.47$406.43
$10,000$24,604.67$4,064.27
$100,000$246,046.75$40,642.68

Year by year (value of $100 from 1978)

YearValueInflation
1978$100.00
1979$111.2511.3%
1980$126.2713.5%
1981$139.3810.4%
1982$147.966.2%
1983$152.643.2%
1984$159.314.4%
1985$164.933.5%
1986$168.131.9%
1987$174.153.6%
1988$181.294.1%
1989$189.974.8%
1990$200.275.4%
1991$208.714.2%
1992$215.063.0%
1993$221.453.0%
1994$227.192.6%
1995$233.572.8%
1996$240.432.9%
1997$246.052.3%

1978–1996 · 1978–1998 · All years

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How much is $100 from 1978 worth in 1997?

$100 in 1978 had about the same buying power as $246.05 in 1997, based on US consumer price index data.

What was the average inflation rate in US from 1978 to 1997?

About 4.85% per year, compounding to a 146.0% total rise in prices over 19 years.

Which year between 1978 and 1997 had the highest inflation?

1980 saw the largest annual rise in the index (13.5%); the lowest was 1986 (1.9%).


Historical statistics for education only. Not investment advice. US CPI: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U (public domain), annual averages; 2026 = Sep 2026 index. India CPI: World Bank WDI FP.CPI.TOTL (source IMF IFS), licensed CC BY 4.0. INR/USD: Federal Reserve Board H.10. Sources & method · Embed this calculator · BacktestCard