Dallas, Texas prices: $3.50 in 1981 $11.49 in 2024

Inflation in Texas

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Prices in Dallas, 1981-2024 ($3.50)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas are 228.22% higher in 2024 versus 1981 (a $7.99 difference in value).

Between 1981 and 2024: Dallas experienced an average inflation rate of 2.80% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $3.50 in Dallas in the year 1981 would cost $11.49 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.90% during this same period, inflation in Dallas was lower.

In the year 1981: Pricing changed by 11.74%, which is significantly above the average yearly change in Dallas during the 1981-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1981 (10.33%), inflation in Dallas was higher.

Price Inflation in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas since 1963

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (16.95%), 1979 (12.42%), and 1981 (11.74%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $3.50 since 1981

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Dallas, over time, for $3.50 beginning in 1981. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1981$3.5011.74%
1982$3.716.04%
1983$3.853.66%
1984$4.034.70%
1985$4.183.75%
1986$4.251.75%
1987$4.362.49%
1988$4.482.91%
1989$4.622.99%
1990$4.834.52%
1991$5.054.68%
1992$5.182.42%
1993$5.312.50%
1994$5.462.83%
1995$5.602.61%
1996$5.752.74%
1997$5.851.78%
1998$5.941.42%
1999$6.102.82%
2000$6.364.20%
2001$6.583.53%
2002$6.671.36%
2003$6.812.11%
2004$6.911.33%
2005$7.133.23%
2006$7.353.12%
2007$7.461.50%
2008$7.804.58%
2009$7.75-0.66%
2010$7.800.59%
2011$8.033.03%
2012$8.202.10%
2013$8.351.81%
2014$8.451.19%
2015$8.41-0.50%
2016$8.531.40%
2017$8.742.55%
2018$9.002.94%
2019$9.192.10%
2020$9.250.62%
2021$9.715.03%
2022$10.578.83%
2023$11.135.27%
2024$11.493.26%*

* 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 Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas:

Year19631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI29.50029.53329.85030.88331.83333.15035.24237.43338.58339.70841.76745.90850.15053.20857.12561.59269.24280.97590.48395.95099.458104.133108.033109.925112.667115.942119.408124.808130.650133.817137.167141.042144.717148.675151.325153.467157.800164.433170.233172.550176.183178.533184.300190.050192.904201.730200.399201.579207.683212.041215.888218.451217.359220.408226.025232.676237.561239.035251.066273.224287.618296.987

Adjust Dallas prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1981 * 1981 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas was 90.483 in the year 1981 and 296.987 in 2024:

296.987 / 90.483 * $3.50 = $11.49

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $3.50 in 1981 has the same "purchasing power" as $11.49 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas in 1963. In addition to Dallas, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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