Audio equipment priced at $20 in 1984 $5 in 2025

Audio Equipment Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Audio Equipment, 1984-2025 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for audio equipment are 75.02% lower in 2025 versus 1984 (a $15 difference in value).

Between 1984 and 2025: Audio equipment experienced an average inflation rate of -3.33% per year. This rate of change indicates significant deflation. In other words, audio equipment costing $20 in the year 1984 would cost $5 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.77% during this same period, inflation for audio equipment was significantly lower.

In the year 1984: Pricing changed by -2.58%, which is above the average yearly change for audio equipment during the 1984-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1984 (4.30%), inflation for audio equipment was much lower.

Price Inflation for Audio equipment since 1977

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 2018 (-13.87%), 2017 (-8.28%), and 2005 (-8.20%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1984

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Audio equipment, over time, for $20 beginning in 1984. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1984$20.00-2.58%
1985$19.32-3.38%
1986$18.78-2.83%
1987$19.041.42%
1988$18.97-0.41%
1989$19.000.16%
1990$19.070.38%
1991$19.371.57%
1992$19.32-0.26%
1993$19.22-0.52%
1994$19.20-0.10%
1995$18.84-1.85%
1996$18.57-1.45%
1997$18.21-1.97%
1998$17.44-4.23%
1999$16.72-4.07%
2000$16.41-1.89%
2001$15.80-3.72%
2002$15.02-4.94%
2003$14.23-5.26%
2004$13.50-5.08%
2005$12.40-8.20%
2006$11.74-5.32%
2007$11.08-5.60%
2008$10.56-4.73%
2009$10.01-5.14%
2010$9.69-3.22%
2011$9.24-4.65%
2012$8.60-6.91%
2013$8.17-4.98%
2014$7.78-4.79%
2015$7.37-5.29%
2016$7.01-4.94%
2017$6.43-8.28%
2018$5.53-13.87%
2019$5.580.81%
2020$5.49-1.64%
2021$5.21-5.01%
2022$5.240.42%
2023$5.23-0.02%
2024$5.09-2.80%
2025$5.00-1.79%*

* 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 Audio equipment:

Year1977197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
CPI89.70092.37795.55497.685100.846101.992100.30097.70894.40891.73893.03892.65492.80093.15494.61594.36993.87793.78592.05490.72388.93885.17781.70880.16277.17773.36269.50065.96960.56257.33854.13051.56848.91947.34245.14042.02139.92738.01436.00334.22631.39327.03827.25626.81025.46825.57625.57124.85424.408

Adjust audio equipment prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2025 / CPI in 1984 * 1984 USD value = 2025 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Audio equipment was 97.708 in the year 1984 and 24.408 in 2025:

24.408 / 97.708 * $20 = $5

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1984 has the same "purchasing power" as $5 in 2025 (in the CPI category of Audio equipment).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Audio equipment in 1977. In addition to audio equipment, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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