U.S. inflation · 1962–1971
$100 in 1962 has the same buying power as
$134
in 1971
| Cumulative price change | 34.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.31% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $134 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $34.11 |
| CPI in 1962 | 30.2 |
| CPI in 1971 | 40.5 |
| Inflation in 1962 | 1.00% |
| Inflation in 1971 | 4.38% |
| $100 in 1962 → 1971 | $134 |
| $100 in 1971 → 1962 | $74.57 |
Between 1962 and 1971, the Consumer Price Index went from 30.2 to 40.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 34.1%, which works out to an average of 3.31% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1962 bought what $0.75 buys in 1971.
| Amount in 1962 | Value in 1971 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.34 |
| $5.00 | $6.71 |
| $10.00 | $13.41 |
| $20.00 | $26.82 |
| $50.00 | $67.05 |
| $100 | $134 |
| $500 | $671 |
| $1,000 | $1,341 |
| $5,000 | $6,705 |
| $10,000 | $13,411 |
| $100,000 | $134,106 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,341,060 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1962 spending costs in 1971, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1962 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.31% | $134 |
| Medical care | 4.89% | $154 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.47% | $136 |
| Food | 3.14% | $132 |
| Apparel | 3.13% | $132 |
| Transportation | 2.80% | $128 |
| Energy | 1.78% | $117 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1962: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1962 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $100 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $101 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $103 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $104 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $107 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $111 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $115 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $122 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $128 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $134 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1962 to 1971: $100 is worth $134 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1962-to-1971/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1962 to 1971. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1962-to-1971/
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.