U.S. inflation · 1949–1978
$100 in 1949 has the same buying power as
$274
in 1978
| Cumulative price change | 173.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.54% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $274 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $174 |
| CPI in 1949 | 23.8 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| Inflation in 1949 | -1.24% |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| $100 in 1949 → 1978 | $274 |
| $100 in 1978 → 1949 | $36.50 |
Between 1949 and 1978, the Consumer Price Index went from 23.8 to 65.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 173.9%, which works out to an average of 3.54% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1949 bought what $0.37 buys in 1978.
| Amount in 1949 | Value in 1978 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.74 |
| $5.00 | $13.70 |
| $10.00 | $27.39 |
| $20.00 | $54.79 |
| $50.00 | $137 |
| $100 | $274 |
| $500 | $1,370 |
| $1,000 | $2,739 |
| $5,000 | $13,697 |
| $10,000 | $27,395 |
| $100,000 | $273,950 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,739,496 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1949 spending costs in 1978, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1949 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.54% | $274 |
| Medical care | 5.05% | $418 |
| Food | 3.71% | $288 |
| Transportation | 3.60% | $279 |
| Apparel | 2.41% | $200 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1949: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1949 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $100 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $101 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $109 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $111 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $112 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $113 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $113 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $114 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $118 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $121 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $122 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $124 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $126 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $127 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $129 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $130 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $132 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $136 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $140 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $146 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $154 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $163 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $170 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $176 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $187 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $207 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $226 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $239 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $255 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $274 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1949 to 1978: $100 is worth $274 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1949-to-1978/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1949 to 1978. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1949-to-1978/
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U annual averages (series CUUR0000SA0; category indexes listed on the data sources page). See how these numbers are calculated.