U.S. inflation · 1960–2008
$100 in 1960 has the same buying power as
$727
in 2008
| Cumulative price change | 627.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.22% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $727 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $627 |
| CPI in 1960 | 29.6 |
| CPI in 2008 | 215.303 |
| Inflation in 1960 | 1.72% |
| Inflation in 2008 | 3.84% |
| $100 in 1960 → 2008 | $727 |
| $100 in 2008 → 1960 | $13.75 |
Between 1960 and 2008, the Consumer Price Index went from 29.6 to 215.303. Cumulatively, prices increased 627.4%, which works out to an average of 4.22% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1960 bought what $0.14 buys in 2008.
| Amount in 1960 | Value in 2008 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $7.27 |
| $5.00 | $36.37 |
| $10.00 | $72.74 |
| $20.00 | $145 |
| $50.00 | $364 |
| $100 | $727 |
| $500 | $3,637 |
| $1,000 | $7,274 |
| $5,000 | $36,369 |
| $10,000 | $72,738 |
| $100,000 | $727,375 |
| $1,000,000 | $7,273,750 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1960 spending costs in 2008, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1960 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.22% | $727 |
| Medical care | 5.99% | $1,633 |
| Energy | 5.03% | $1,057 |
| Food | 4.18% | $714 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.15% | $704 |
| Transportation | 4.00% | $656 |
| Apparel | 2.01% | $260 |
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 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | 3.4% | $582 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $608 |
| 2004 | 188.9 | 2.7% | $638 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $681 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $727 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1960 to 2008: $100 is worth $727 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1960-to-2008/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1960 to 2008. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1960-to-2008/
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.