U.S. inflation · 1963–1972
$100 in 1963 has the same buying power as
$137
in 1972
| Cumulative price change | 36.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.53% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $137 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $36.60 |
| CPI in 1963 | 30.6 |
| CPI in 1972 | 41.8 |
| Inflation in 1963 | 1.32% |
| Inflation in 1972 | 3.21% |
| $100 in 1963 → 1972 | $137 |
| $100 in 1972 → 1963 | $73.21 |
Between 1963 and 1972, the Consumer Price Index went from 30.6 to 41.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 36.6%, which works out to an average of 3.53% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1963 bought what $0.73 buys in 1972.
| Amount in 1963 | Value in 1972 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.37 |
| $5.00 | $6.83 |
| $10.00 | $13.66 |
| $20.00 | $27.32 |
| $50.00 | $68.30 |
| $100 | $137 |
| $500 | $683 |
| $1,000 | $1,366 |
| $5,000 | $6,830 |
| $10,000 | $13,660 |
| $100,000 | $136,601 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,366,013 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1963 spending costs in 1972, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1963 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.53% | $137 |
| Medical care | 4.97% | $155 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.67% | $138 |
| Food | 3.42% | $135 |
| Apparel | 3.21% | $133 |
| Transportation | 2.88% | $129 |
| Energy | 2.08% | $120 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1963: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1963 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $100 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $101 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $103 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $106 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $109 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $114 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $120 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $127 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $132 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $137 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1963 to 1972: $100 is worth $137 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1963-to-1972/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1963 to 1972. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1963-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.