According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for electricity were 252.76% higher in 2020 versus 1978 (a $252.76 difference in value).
Between 1978 and 2020: Electricity experienced an average inflation rate of 3.05% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, electricity costing $100 in the year 1978 would cost $352.76 in 2020 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.34% during this same period, inflation for electricity was lower.
In the year 1978: Pricing changed by 7.40%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for electricity during the 1978-2020 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1978 (7.63%), inflation for electricity was lower.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Electricity:
Year | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
CPI | 45.500 | 44.250 | 42.950 | 41.850 | 40.750 | 41.433 | 42.500 | 42.667 | 43.300 | 42.740 | 41.900 | 41.600 | 41.067 | 40.533 | 39.933 | 39.133 | 37.767 | 37.133 | 36.533 | 36.267 | 35.567 | 33.000 | 31.620 | 30.533 | 29.800 | 29.400 | 28.920 | 28.620 | 28.415 | 28.300 | 28.254 | 28.185 | 28.031 | 26.977 | 26.612 | 26.900 | 27.100 | 27.200 | 27.400 | 27.646 | 27.992 | 28.138 | 28.462 | 28.577 | 28.715 | 29.077 | 29.492 | 29.854 | 29.900 | 29.946 | 29.938 | 29.785 | 29.662 | 29.669 | 29.923 | 30.192 | 30.754 | 31.785 | 33.885 | 35.577 | 37.369 | 44.123 | 49.962 | 53.131 | 56.646 | 60.838 | 65.538 | 75.831 | 87.208 | 95.823 | 98.915 | 105.262 | 108.938 | 110.400 | 110.023 | 111.531 | 114.669 | 117.354 | 121.777 | 124.177 | 126.654 | 126.708 | 129.577 | 131.754 | 132.454 | 127.354 | 126.454 | 128.477 | 137.792 | 136.231 | 139.485 | 142.085 | 150.823 | 169.169 | 175.825 | 187.146 | 192.712 | 193.095 | 196.737 | 196.630 | 200.750 | 208.020 | 209.191 | 206.983 | 211.437 | 212.932 | 213.362 | 214.615 |
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Electricity, over time, for $100 beginning in 1978. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
---|---|---|
1978 | $100.00 | 7.40% |
1979 | $107.73 | 7.73% |
1980 | $124.64 | 15.70% |
1981 | $143.34 | 15.00% |
1982 | $157.50 | 9.88% |
1983 | $162.59 | 3.23% |
1984 | $173.02 | 6.42% |
1985 | $179.06 | 3.49% |
1986 | $181.46 | 1.34% |
1987 | $180.84 | -0.34% |
1988 | $183.32 | 1.37% |
1989 | $188.48 | 2.81% |
1990 | $192.89 | 2.34% |
1991 | $200.16 | 3.77% |
1992 | $204.11 | 1.97% |
1993 | $208.18 | 1.99% |
1994 | $208.27 | 0.04% |
1995 | $212.99 | 2.26% |
1996 | $216.56 | 1.68% |
1997 | $217.71 | 0.53% |
1998 | $209.33 | -3.85% |
1999 | $207.85 | -0.71% |
2000 | $211.18 | 1.60% |
2001 | $226.49 | 7.25% |
2002 | $223.92 | -1.13% |
2003 | $229.27 | 2.39% |
2004 | $233.54 | 1.86% |
2005 | $247.91 | 6.15% |
2006 | $278.06 | 12.16% |
2007 | $289.00 | 3.93% |
2008 | $307.61 | 6.44% |
2009 | $316.76 | 2.97% |
2010 | $317.39 | 0.20% |
2011 | $323.38 | 1.89% |
2012 | $323.20 | -0.05% |
2013 | $329.97 | 2.10% |
2014 | $341.92 | 3.62% |
2015 | $343.85 | 0.56% |
2016 | $340.22 | -1.06% |
2017 | $347.54 | 2.15% |
2018 | $350.00 | 0.71% |
2019 | $350.70 | 0.20% |
2020 | $352.76 | 0.59%* |