Energy priced at $1 in 1979 $1.31 in 1980

Energy Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Energy, 1979-1980 ($1)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for energy were 30.87% higher in 1980 versus 1979 (a $0.31 difference in value).

Between 1979 and 1980: Energy experienced an average inflation rate of 30.87% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, energy costing $1 in the year 1979 would cost $1.31 in 1980 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 13.55% during this same period, inflation for energy was significantly higher.

In the year 1979: Pricing changed by 25.14%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for energy during the 1979-1980 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1979 (11.26%), inflation for energy was much higher.

Price Inflation for Energy since 1957

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (30.87%), 1974 (29.23%), and 2022 (25.15%).

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Buying power of $1.00 since 1979

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Energy, over time, for $1 beginning in 1979. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1979$1.0025.14%
1980$1.3130.87%
1981$1.4913.58%
1982$1.511.47%
1983$1.520.78%
1984$1.541.00%
1985$1.550.70%
1986$1.34-13.18%
1987$1.350.40%
1988$1.360.76%
1989$1.435.67%
1990$1.558.25%
1991$1.560.35%
1992$1.570.53%
1993$1.581.12%
1994$1.590.45%
1995$1.600.59%
1996$1.684.65%
1997$1.701.26%
1998$1.56-7.75%
1999$1.623.63%
2000$1.9016.88%
2001$1.973.76%
2002$1.85-5.89%
2003$2.0812.18%
2004$2.3010.92%
2005$2.6916.95%
2006$2.9911.19%
2007$3.165.52%
2008$3.6013.93%
2009$2.94-18.40%
2010$3.229.49%
2011$3.7115.35%
2012$3.740.89%
2013$3.72-0.68%
2014$3.71-0.34%
2015$3.09-16.70%
2016$2.88-6.58%
2017$3.117.92%
2018$3.357.53%
2019$3.28-2.11%
2020$3.00-8.52%
2021$3.6321.01%
2022$4.5425.15%
2023$4.31-5.02%
2024$4.22-2.13%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.


Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Energy:

Year19571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI21.47721.53121.90022.43122.49222.58522.62322.53122.94623.30023.83824.19224.81525.50026.50827.23829.44638.05442.09245.10849.39252.53165.73886.03197.71599.15499.923100.923101.63188.23188.58589.25494.315102.092102.454103.000104.154104.623105.238110.131111.515102.877106.615124.608129.292121.677136.492151.392177.054196.862207.723236.666193.126211.449243.909246.080244.409243.583202.895189.535204.540219.941215.294196.949238.325298.266283.286277.251

Adjust energy prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 1980 / CPI in 1979 * 1979 USD value = 1980 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Energy was 65.738 in the year 1979 and 86.031 in 1980:

86.031 / 65.738 * $1 = $1.31

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $1 in 1979 has the same "purchasing power" as $1.31 in 1980 (in the CPI category of Energy).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Energy in 1957. In addition to energy, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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