U.S. inflation · 1964–1978
$100 in 1964 has the same buying power as
$210
in 1978
| Cumulative price change | 110.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.45% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $210 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $110 |
| CPI in 1964 | 31 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| Inflation in 1964 | 1.31% |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| $100 in 1964 → 1978 | $210 |
| $100 in 1978 → 1964 | $47.55 |
Between 1964 and 1978, the Consumer Price Index went from 31 to 65.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 110.3%, which works out to an average of 5.45% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1964 bought what $0.48 buys in 1978.
| Amount in 1964 | Value in 1978 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.10 |
| $5.00 | $10.52 |
| $10.00 | $21.03 |
| $20.00 | $42.06 |
| $50.00 | $105 |
| $100 | $210 |
| $500 | $1,052 |
| $1,000 | $2,103 |
| $5,000 | $10,516 |
| $10,000 | $21,032 |
| $100,000 | $210,323 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,103,226 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1964 spending costs in 1978, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1964 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.45% | $210 |
| Medical care | 6.80% | $251 |
| Energy | 6.24% | $233 |
| Food | 6.08% | $229 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.18% | $203 |
| Transportation | 4.94% | $196 |
| Apparel | 3.95% | $172 |
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 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $143 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $159 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $174 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $184 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $195 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $210 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1964 to 1978: $100 is worth $210 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1964-to-1978/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1964 to 1978. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1964-to-1978/
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.