U.S. inflation · 1959–1966
$100 in 1959 has the same buying power as
$111
in 1966
| Cumulative price change | 11.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.55% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $111 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $11.34 |
| CPI in 1959 | 29.1 |
| CPI in 1966 | 32.4 |
| Inflation in 1959 | 0.69% |
| Inflation in 1966 | 2.86% |
| $100 in 1959 → 1966 | $111 |
| $100 in 1966 → 1959 | $89.81 |
Between 1959 and 1966, the Consumer Price Index went from 29.1 to 32.4. Cumulatively, prices increased 11.3%, which works out to an average of 1.55% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1959 bought what $0.90 buys in 1966.
| Amount in 1959 | Value in 1966 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.11 |
| $5.00 | $5.57 |
| $10.00 | $11.13 |
| $20.00 | $22.27 |
| $50.00 | $55.67 |
| $100 | $111 |
| $500 | $557 |
| $1,000 | $1,113 |
| $5,000 | $5,567 |
| $10,000 | $11,134 |
| $100,000 | $111,340 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,113,402 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1959 spending costs in 1966, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1959 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.55% | $111 |
| Medical care | 2.92% | $122 |
| Food | 1.86% | $114 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 1.49% | $111 |
| Apparel | 1.22% | $109 |
| Transportation | 1.16% | $108 |
| Energy | 0.89% | $106 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1959: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1959 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $100 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $102 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $103 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $104 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $105 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $107 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $108 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $111 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1959 to 1966: $100 is worth $111 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1959-to-1966/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1959 to 1966. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1959-to-1966/
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.