U.S. inflation · 1961–1997
$100 in 1961 has the same buying power as
$537
in 1997
| Cumulative price change | 436.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.78% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $537 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $437 |
| CPI in 1961 | 29.9 |
| CPI in 1997 | 160.5 |
| Inflation in 1961 | 1.01% |
| Inflation in 1997 | 2.29% |
| $100 in 1961 → 1997 | $537 |
| $100 in 1997 → 1961 | $18.63 |
Between 1961 and 1997, the Consumer Price Index went from 29.9 to 160.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 436.8%, which works out to an average of 4.78% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1961 bought what $0.19 buys in 1997.
| Amount in 1961 | Value in 1997 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $5.37 |
| $5.00 | $26.84 |
| $10.00 | $53.68 |
| $20.00 | $107 |
| $50.00 | $268 |
| $100 | $537 |
| $500 | $2,684 |
| $1,000 | $5,368 |
| $5,000 | $26,839 |
| $10,000 | $53,679 |
| $100,000 | $536,789 |
| $1,000,000 | $5,367,893 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1961 spending costs in 1997, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1961 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.78% | $537 |
| Medical care | 6.68% | $1,024 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.83% | $547 |
| Food | 4.67% | $517 |
| Energy | 4.55% | $496 |
| Transportation | 4.45% | $479 |
| Apparel | 2.98% | $288 |
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 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $102 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $105 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $112 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $123 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $135 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $148 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $180 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $203 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $243 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $304 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $333 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $360 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $380 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $415 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $456 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $483 |
| 1995 | 152.4 | 2.8% | $510 |
| 1997 | 160.5 | 2.3% | $537 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1961 to 1997: $100 is worth $537 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1961-to-1997/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1961 to 1997. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1961-to-1997/
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.