U.S. inflation · 1962–1973
$100 in 1962 has the same buying power as
$147
in 1973
| Cumulative price change | 47.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.57% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $147 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $47.02 |
| CPI in 1962 | 30.2 |
| CPI in 1973 | 44.4 |
| Inflation in 1962 | 1.00% |
| Inflation in 1973 | 6.22% |
| $100 in 1962 → 1973 | $147 |
| $100 in 1973 → 1962 | $68.02 |
Between 1962 and 1973, the Consumer Price Index went from 30.2 to 44.4. Cumulatively, prices increased 47.0%, which works out to an average of 3.57% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1962 bought what $0.68 buys in 1973.
| Amount in 1962 | Value in 1973 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.47 |
| $5.00 | $7.35 |
| $10.00 | $14.70 |
| $20.00 | $29.40 |
| $50.00 | $73.51 |
| $100 | $147 |
| $500 | $735 |
| $1,000 | $1,470 |
| $5,000 | $7,351 |
| $10,000 | $14,702 |
| $100,000 | $147,020 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,470,199 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1962 spending costs in 1973, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1962 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.57% | $147 |
| Medical care | 4.66% | $165 |
| Food | 4.22% | $158 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.45% | $145 |
| Apparel | 3.07% | $140 |
| Transportation | 2.68% | $134 |
| Energy | 2.42% | $130 |
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 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $147 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1962 to 1973: $100 is worth $147 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1962-to-1973/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1962 to 1973. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1962-to-1973/
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.