U.S. inflation · 1961–1974
$100 in 1961 has the same buying power as
$165
in 1974
| Cumulative price change | 64.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.92% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $165 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $64.88 |
| CPI in 1961 | 29.9 |
| CPI in 1974 | 49.3 |
| Inflation in 1961 | 1.01% |
| Inflation in 1974 | 11.04% |
| $100 in 1961 → 1974 | $165 |
| $100 in 1974 → 1961 | $60.65 |
Between 1961 and 1974, the Consumer Price Index went from 29.9 to 49.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 64.9%, which works out to an average of 3.92% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1961 bought what $0.61 buys in 1974.
| Amount in 1961 | Value in 1974 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.65 |
| $5.00 | $8.24 |
| $10.00 | $16.49 |
| $20.00 | $32.98 |
| $50.00 | $82.44 |
| $100 | $165 |
| $500 | $824 |
| $1,000 | $1,649 |
| $5,000 | $8,244 |
| $10,000 | $16,488 |
| $100,000 | $164,883 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,648,829 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1961 spending costs in 1974, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1961 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.92% | $165 |
| Medical care | 4.85% | $185 |
| Food | 4.68% | $181 |
| Energy | 4.13% | $169 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.65% | $159 |
| Transportation | 3.28% | $152 |
| Apparel | 3.20% | $151 |
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 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $123 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $130 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $135 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $140 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $148 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $165 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1961 to 1974: $100 is worth $165 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1961-to-1974/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1961 to 1974. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1961-to-1974/
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.