U.S. inflation · 1961–1966
$100 in 1961 has the same buying power as
$108
in 1966
| Cumulative price change | 8.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.62% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $108 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $8.36 |
| CPI in 1961 | 29.9 |
| CPI in 1966 | 32.4 |
| Inflation in 1961 | 1.01% |
| Inflation in 1966 | 2.86% |
| $100 in 1961 → 1966 | $108 |
| $100 in 1966 → 1961 | $92.28 |
Between 1961 and 1966, the Consumer Price Index went from 29.9 to 32.4. Cumulatively, prices increased 8.4%, which works out to an average of 1.62% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1961 bought what $0.92 buys in 1966.
| Amount in 1961 | Value in 1966 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.08 |
| $5.00 | $5.42 |
| $10.00 | $10.84 |
| $20.00 | $21.67 |
| $50.00 | $54.18 |
| $100 | $108 |
| $500 | $542 |
| $1,000 | $1,084 |
| $5,000 | $5,418 |
| $10,000 | $10,836 |
| $100,000 | $108,361 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,083,612 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1961 spending costs in 1966, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1961 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.62% | $108 |
| Medical care | 2.81% | $115 |
| Food | 2.14% | $111 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 1.56% | $108 |
| Transportation | 1.42% | $107 |
| Apparel | 1.23% | $106 |
| Energy | 0.70% | $104 |
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 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $108 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1961 to 1966: $100 is worth $108 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1961-to-1966/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1961 to 1966. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1961-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.