U.S. inflation · 1956–1971
$100 in 1956 has the same buying power as
$149
in 1971
| Cumulative price change | 48.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.69% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $149 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $48.90 |
| CPI in 1956 | 27.2 |
| CPI in 1971 | 40.5 |
| Inflation in 1956 | 1.49% |
| Inflation in 1971 | 4.38% |
| $100 in 1956 → 1971 | $149 |
| $100 in 1971 → 1956 | $67.16 |
Between 1956 and 1971, the Consumer Price Index went from 27.2 to 40.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 48.9%, which works out to an average of 2.69% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1956 bought what $0.67 buys in 1971.
| Amount in 1956 | Value in 1971 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.49 |
| $5.00 | $7.44 |
| $10.00 | $14.89 |
| $20.00 | $29.78 |
| $50.00 | $74.45 |
| $100 | $149 |
| $500 | $744 |
| $1,000 | $1,489 |
| $5,000 | $7,445 |
| $10,000 | $14,890 |
| $100,000 | $148,897 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,488,971 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1956 spending costs in 1971, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1956 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.69% | $149 |
| Medical care | 4.41% | $191 |
| Transportation | 2.77% | $151 |
| Food | 2.47% | $144 |
| Apparel | 2.26% | $140 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1956: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1956 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $100 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $103 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $106 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $107 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $109 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $110 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $111 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $113 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $114 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $116 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $119 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $123 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $128 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $135 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $143 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $149 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1956 to 1971: $100 is worth $149 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1956-to-1971/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1956 to 1971. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1956-to-1971/
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.