U.S. inflation · 1963–1979
$100 in 1963 has the same buying power as
$237
in 1979
| Cumulative price change | 137.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.55% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $237 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $137 |
| CPI in 1963 | 30.6 |
| CPI in 1979 | 72.6 |
| Inflation in 1963 | 1.32% |
| Inflation in 1979 | 11.35% |
| $100 in 1963 → 1979 | $237 |
| $100 in 1979 → 1963 | $42.15 |
Between 1963 and 1979, the Consumer Price Index went from 30.6 to 72.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 137.3%, which works out to an average of 5.55% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1963 bought what $0.42 buys in 1979.
| Amount in 1963 | Value in 1979 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.37 |
| $5.00 | $11.86 |
| $10.00 | $23.73 |
| $20.00 | $47.45 |
| $50.00 | $119 |
| $100 | $237 |
| $500 | $1,186 |
| $1,000 | $2,373 |
| $5,000 | $11,863 |
| $10,000 | $23,725 |
| $100,000 | $237,255 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,372,549 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1963 spending costs in 1979, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1963 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.55% | $237 |
| Energy | 6.90% | $291 |
| Medical care | 6.65% | $280 |
| Food | 6.07% | $257 |
| Transportation | 5.29% | $228 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.23% | $226 |
| Apparel | 3.78% | $181 |
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 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $145 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $161 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $176 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $186 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $198 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $213 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $237 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1963 to 1979: $100 is worth $237 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1963-to-1979/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1963 to 1979. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1963-to-1979/
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.