U.S. inflation · 1951–1979
$100 in 1951 has the same buying power as
$279
in 1979
| Cumulative price change | 179.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.74% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $279 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $179 |
| CPI in 1951 | 26 |
| CPI in 1979 | 72.6 |
| Inflation in 1951 | 7.88% |
| Inflation in 1979 | 11.35% |
| $100 in 1951 → 1979 | $279 |
| $100 in 1979 → 1951 | $35.81 |
Between 1951 and 1979, the Consumer Price Index went from 26 to 72.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 179.2%, which works out to an average of 3.74% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1951 bought what $0.36 buys in 1979.
| Amount in 1951 | Value in 1979 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.79 |
| $5.00 | $13.96 |
| $10.00 | $27.92 |
| $20.00 | $55.85 |
| $50.00 | $140 |
| $100 | $279 |
| $500 | $1,396 |
| $1,000 | $2,792 |
| $5,000 | $13,962 |
| $10,000 | $27,923 |
| $100,000 | $279,231 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,792,308 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1951 spending costs in 1979, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1951 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.74% | $279 |
| Medical care | 5.30% | $425 |
| Transportation | 3.91% | $293 |
| Food | 3.79% | $283 |
| Apparel | 2.38% | $193 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1951: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1951 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $100 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $102 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $103 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $103 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $103 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $105 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $108 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $111 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $112 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $114 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $115 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $116 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $118 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $119 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $121 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $125 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $128 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $134 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $141 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $149 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $156 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $161 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $171 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $190 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $207 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $219 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $233 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $251 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $279 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1951 to 1979: $100 is worth $279 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1951-to-1979/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1951 to 1979. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1951-to-1979/
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.