U.S. inflation · 1961–1968
$100 in 1961 has the same buying power as
$116
in 1968
| Cumulative price change | 16.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.19% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $116 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $16.39 |
| CPI in 1961 | 29.9 |
| CPI in 1968 | 34.8 |
| Inflation in 1961 | 1.01% |
| Inflation in 1968 | 4.19% |
| $100 in 1961 → 1968 | $116 |
| $100 in 1968 → 1961 | $85.92 |
Between 1961 and 1968, the Consumer Price Index went from 29.9 to 34.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 16.4%, which works out to an average of 2.19% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1961 bought what $0.86 buys in 1968.
| Amount in 1961 | Value in 1968 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.16 |
| $5.00 | $5.82 |
| $10.00 | $11.64 |
| $20.00 | $23.28 |
| $50.00 | $58.19 |
| $100 | $116 |
| $500 | $582 |
| $1,000 | $1,164 |
| $5,000 | $5,819 |
| $10,000 | $11,639 |
| $100,000 | $116,388 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,163,880 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1961 spending costs in 1968, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1961 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.19% | $116 |
| Medical care | 3.88% | $131 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.28% | $117 |
| Apparel | 2.20% | $116 |
| Food | 2.16% | $116 |
| Transportation | 1.88% | $114 |
| Energy | 1.05% | $108 |
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 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $112 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $116 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1961 to 1968: $100 is worth $116 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1961-to-1968/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1961 to 1968. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1961-to-1968/
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.