U.S. inflation · 1958–1979
$100 in 1958 has the same buying power as
$251
in 1979
| Cumulative price change | 151.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.48% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $251 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $151 |
| CPI in 1958 | 28.9 |
| CPI in 1979 | 72.6 |
| Inflation in 1958 | 2.85% |
| Inflation in 1979 | 11.35% |
| $100 in 1958 → 1979 | $251 |
| $100 in 1979 → 1958 | $39.81 |
Between 1958 and 1979, the Consumer Price Index went from 28.9 to 72.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 151.2%, which works out to an average of 4.48% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1958 bought what $0.40 buys in 1979.
| Amount in 1958 | Value in 1979 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.51 |
| $5.00 | $12.56 |
| $10.00 | $25.12 |
| $20.00 | $50.24 |
| $50.00 | $126 |
| $100 | $251 |
| $500 | $1,256 |
| $1,000 | $2,512 |
| $5,000 | $12,561 |
| $10,000 | $25,121 |
| $100,000 | $251,211 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,512,111 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1958 spending costs in 1979, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1958 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.48% | $251 |
| Medical care | 5.81% | $328 |
| Energy | 5.46% | $306 |
| Food | 4.74% | $265 |
| Transportation | 4.39% | $247 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.32% | $243 |
| Apparel | 3.11% | $190 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1958: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1958 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $100 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $101 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $102 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $103 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $104 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $106 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $107 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $109 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $112 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $116 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $120 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $127 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $134 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $140 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $145 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $154 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $171 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $186 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $197 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $210 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $226 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $251 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1958 to 1979: $100 is worth $251 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1958-to-1979/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1958 to 1979. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1958-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.