U.S. inflation · 1962–1972
$100 in 1962 has the same buying power as
$138
in 1972
| Cumulative price change | 38.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.30% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $138 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $38.41 |
| CPI in 1962 | 30.2 |
| CPI in 1972 | 41.8 |
| Inflation in 1962 | 1.00% |
| Inflation in 1972 | 3.21% |
| $100 in 1962 → 1972 | $138 |
| $100 in 1972 → 1962 | $72.25 |
Between 1962 and 1972, the Consumer Price Index went from 30.2 to 41.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 38.4%, which works out to an average of 3.30% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1962 bought what $0.72 buys in 1972.
| Amount in 1962 | Value in 1972 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.38 |
| $5.00 | $6.92 |
| $10.00 | $13.84 |
| $20.00 | $27.68 |
| $50.00 | $69.21 |
| $100 | $138 |
| $500 | $692 |
| $1,000 | $1,384 |
| $5,000 | $6,921 |
| $10,000 | $13,841 |
| $100,000 | $138,411 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,384,106 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1962 spending costs in 1972, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1962 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.30% | $138 |
| Medical care | 4.73% | $159 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.43% | $140 |
| Food | 3.24% | $138 |
| Apparel | 3.01% | $135 |
| Transportation | 2.62% | $130 |
| Energy | 1.87% | $120 |
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 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $138 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1962 to 1972: $100 is worth $138 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1962-to-1972/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1962 to 1972. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1962-to-1972/
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.