U.S. inflation · 1964–1972
$100 in 1964 has the same buying power as
$135
in 1972
| Cumulative price change | 34.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.81% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $135 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $34.84 |
| CPI in 1964 | 31 |
| CPI in 1972 | 41.8 |
| Inflation in 1964 | 1.31% |
| Inflation in 1972 | 3.21% |
| $100 in 1964 → 1972 | $135 |
| $100 in 1972 → 1964 | $74.16 |
Between 1964 and 1972, the Consumer Price Index went from 31 to 41.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 34.8%, which works out to an average of 3.81% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1964 bought what $0.74 buys in 1972.
| Amount in 1964 | Value in 1972 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.35 |
| $5.00 | $6.74 |
| $10.00 | $13.48 |
| $20.00 | $26.97 |
| $50.00 | $67.42 |
| $100 | $135 |
| $500 | $674 |
| $1,000 | $1,348 |
| $5,000 | $6,742 |
| $10,000 | $13,484 |
| $100,000 | $134,839 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,348,387 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1964 spending costs in 1972, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1964 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.81% | $135 |
| Medical care | 5.34% | $152 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.94% | $136 |
| Food | 3.69% | $134 |
| Apparel | 3.50% | $132 |
| Transportation | 3.04% | $127 |
| Energy | 2.40% | $121 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1964: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1964 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $100 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $102 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $105 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $108 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $112 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $118 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $125 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $131 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $135 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1964 to 1972: $100 is worth $135 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1964-to-1972/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1964 to 1972. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1964-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.