U.S. inflation · 1950–1970
$100 in 1950 has the same buying power as
$161
in 1970
| Cumulative price change | 61.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.41% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $161 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $61.00 |
| CPI in 1950 | 24.1 |
| CPI in 1970 | 38.8 |
| Inflation in 1950 | 1.26% |
| Inflation in 1970 | 5.72% |
| $100 in 1950 → 1970 | $161 |
| $100 in 1970 → 1950 | $62.11 |
Between 1950 and 1970, the Consumer Price Index went from 24.1 to 38.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 61.0%, which works out to an average of 2.41% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1950 bought what $0.62 buys in 1970.
| Amount in 1950 | Value in 1970 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.61 |
| $5.00 | $8.05 |
| $10.00 | $16.10 |
| $20.00 | $32.20 |
| $50.00 | $80.50 |
| $100 | $161 |
| $500 | $805 |
| $1,000 | $1,610 |
| $5,000 | $8,050 |
| $10,000 | $16,100 |
| $100,000 | $160,996 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,609,959 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1950 spending costs in 1970, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1950 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.41% | $161 |
| Medical care | 4.14% | $225 |
| Transportation | 2.54% | $165 |
| Food | 2.19% | $154 |
| Apparel | 1.94% | $147 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1950: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1950 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $100 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $108 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $110 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $111 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $112 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $111 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $113 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $117 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $120 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $121 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $123 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $124 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $125 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $127 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $129 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $131 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $134 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $139 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $144 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $152 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $161 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1950 to 1970: $100 is worth $161 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1950-to-1970/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1950 to 1970. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1950-to-1970/
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.