U.S. inflation · 1964–1979
$100 in 1964 has the same buying power as
$234
in 1979
| Cumulative price change | 134.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.84% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $234 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $134 |
| CPI in 1964 | 31 |
| CPI in 1979 | 72.6 |
| Inflation in 1964 | 1.31% |
| Inflation in 1979 | 11.35% |
| $100 in 1964 → 1979 | $234 |
| $100 in 1979 → 1964 | $42.70 |
Between 1964 and 1979, the Consumer Price Index went from 31 to 72.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 134.2%, which works out to an average of 5.84% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1964 bought what $0.43 buys in 1979.
| Amount in 1964 | Value in 1979 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.34 |
| $5.00 | $11.71 |
| $10.00 | $23.42 |
| $20.00 | $46.84 |
| $50.00 | $117 |
| $100 | $234 |
| $500 | $1,171 |
| $1,000 | $2,342 |
| $5,000 | $11,710 |
| $10,000 | $23,419 |
| $100,000 | $234,194 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,341,935 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1964 spending costs in 1979, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1964 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.84% | $234 |
| Energy | 7.41% | $292 |
| Medical care | 6.96% | $274 |
| Food | 6.40% | $254 |
| Transportation | 5.54% | $225 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.48% | $223 |
| Apparel | 3.98% | $179 |
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 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $234 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1964 to 1979: $100 is worth $234 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1964-to-1979/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1964 to 1979. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1964-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.