In which decade is "Stranger Things" primarily set?

"Stranger Things" is primarily set in the 1980s. The story begins in 1983 in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, and follows its young characters through the decade as they confront the Upside Down and the forces connected to Hawkins National Laboratory.

Each season advances the timeline while retaining the period's cultural setting. Season 2 takes place in 1984, season 3 unfolds in the summer of 1985, and season 4 is set in March 1986. The final season continues the story in 1987, so the series spans most of the decade rather than taking place in one single year.

The decade is more than a backdrop. The series uses 1980s films, music, fashion, technology, arcades, bicycles, video stores, and Cold War anxieties to shape its tone. The Duffer Brothers also chose the period partly because of their interest in 1980s genre cinema and the era's fears surrounding secret government experiments.