U.S. inflation · 1962–2010
$100 in 1962 has the same buying power as
$722
in 2010
| Cumulative price change | 622.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.20% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $722 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $622 |
| CPI in 1962 | 30.2 |
| CPI in 2010 | 218.056 |
| Inflation in 1962 | 1.00% |
| Inflation in 2010 | 1.64% |
| $100 in 1962 → 2010 | $722 |
| $100 in 2010 → 1962 | $13.85 |
Between 1962 and 2010, the Consumer Price Index went from 30.2 to 218.056. Cumulatively, prices increased 622.0%, which works out to an average of 4.20% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1962 bought what $0.14 buys in 2010.
| Amount in 1962 | Value in 2010 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $7.22 |
| $5.00 | $36.10 |
| $10.00 | $72.20 |
| $20.00 | $144 |
| $50.00 | $361 |
| $100 | $722 |
| $500 | $3,610 |
| $1,000 | $7,220 |
| $5,000 | $36,102 |
| $10,000 | $72,204 |
| $100,000 | $722,040 |
| $1,000,000 | $7,220,397 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1962 spending costs in 2010, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1962 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.20% | $722 |
| Medical care | 6.02% | $1,653 |
| Energy | 4.77% | $936 |
| Food | 4.19% | $718 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.15% | $705 |
| Transportation | 3.90% | $628 |
| Apparel | 2.00% | $258 |
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 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $103 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $107 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $115 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $128 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $138 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $163 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $188 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $216 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $273 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $320 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $344 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $363 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $392 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $433 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $465 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $491 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $520 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $540 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | 3.4% | $570 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $596 |
| 2004 | 188.9 | 2.7% | $625 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $668 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $713 |
| 2010 | 218.056 | 1.6% | $722 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1962 to 2010: $100 is worth $722 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1962-to-2010/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1962 to 2010. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1962-to-2010/
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.