U.S. inflation · 1960–1998
$100 in 1960 has the same buying power as
$551
in 1998
| Cumulative price change | 450.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.59% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $551 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $451 |
| CPI in 1960 | 29.6 |
| CPI in 1998 | 163 |
| Inflation in 1960 | 1.72% |
| Inflation in 1998 | 1.56% |
| $100 in 1960 → 1998 | $551 |
| $100 in 1998 → 1960 | $18.16 |
Between 1960 and 1998, the Consumer Price Index went from 29.6 to 163. Cumulatively, prices increased 450.7%, which works out to an average of 4.59% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1960 bought what $0.18 buys in 1998.
| Amount in 1960 | Value in 1998 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $5.51 |
| $5.00 | $27.53 |
| $10.00 | $55.07 |
| $20.00 | $110 |
| $50.00 | $275 |
| $100 | $551 |
| $500 | $2,753 |
| $1,000 | $5,507 |
| $5,000 | $27,534 |
| $10,000 | $55,068 |
| $100,000 | $550,676 |
| $1,000,000 | $5,506,757 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1960 spending costs in 1998, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1960 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.59% | $551 |
| Medical care | 6.48% | $1,086 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.67% | $567 |
| Food | 4.52% | $536 |
| Transportation | 4.19% | $475 |
| Energy | 4.09% | $459 |
| Apparel | 2.85% | $291 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1960: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1960 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $100 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $102 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $105 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $109 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $118 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $131 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $141 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $167 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $192 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $220 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $278 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $326 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $351 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $370 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $400 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $442 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $474 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $501 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $530 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $551 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1960 to 1998: $100 is worth $551 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1960-to-1998/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1960 to 1998. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1960-to-1998/
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.