U.S. inflation · 1961–1965
$100 in 1961 has the same buying power as
$105
in 1965
| Cumulative price change | 5.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.31% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $105 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $5.35 |
| CPI in 1961 | 29.9 |
| CPI in 1965 | 31.5 |
| Inflation in 1961 | 1.01% |
| Inflation in 1965 | 1.61% |
| $100 in 1961 → 1965 | $105 |
| $100 in 1965 → 1961 | $94.92 |
Between 1961 and 1965, the Consumer Price Index went from 29.9 to 31.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 5.4%, which works out to an average of 1.31% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1961 bought what $0.95 buys in 1965.
| Amount in 1961 | Value in 1965 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.05 |
| $5.00 | $5.27 |
| $10.00 | $10.54 |
| $20.00 | $21.07 |
| $50.00 | $52.68 |
| $100 | $105 |
| $500 | $527 |
| $1,000 | $1,054 |
| $5,000 | $5,268 |
| $10,000 | $10,535 |
| $100,000 | $105,351 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,053,512 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1961 spending costs in 1965, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1961 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.31% | $105 |
| Medical care | 2.42% | $110 |
| Transportation | 1.46% | $106 |
| Food | 1.45% | $106 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 1.34% | $105 |
| Apparel | 0.91% | $104 |
| Energy | 0.44% | $102 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1961: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1961 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $100 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $101 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $102 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $104 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $105 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1961 to 1965: $100 is worth $105 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1961-to-1965/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1961 to 1965. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1961-to-1965/
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.