U.S. inflation · 1964–1996
$100 in 1964 has the same buying power as
$506
in 1996
| Cumulative price change | 406.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.20% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $506 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $406 |
| CPI in 1964 | 31 |
| CPI in 1996 | 156.9 |
| Inflation in 1964 | 1.31% |
| Inflation in 1996 | 2.95% |
| $100 in 1964 → 1996 | $506 |
| $100 in 1996 → 1964 | $19.76 |
Between 1964 and 1996, the Consumer Price Index went from 31 to 156.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 406.1%, which works out to an average of 5.20% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1964 bought what $0.20 buys in 1996.
| Amount in 1964 | Value in 1996 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $5.06 |
| $5.00 | $25.31 |
| $10.00 | $50.61 |
| $20.00 | $101 |
| $50.00 | $253 |
| $100 | $506 |
| $500 | $2,531 |
| $1,000 | $5,061 |
| $5,000 | $25,306 |
| $10,000 | $50,613 |
| $100,000 | $506,129 |
| $1,000,000 | $5,061,290 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1964 spending costs in 1996, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1964 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.20% | $506 |
| Medical care | 7.21% | $928 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.24% | $513 |
| Energy | 5.09% | $489 |
| Food | 5.07% | $487 |
| Transportation | 4.85% | $455 |
| Apparel | 3.25% | $278 |
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 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $105 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $112 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $125 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $135 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $159 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $184 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $210 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $266 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $311 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $335 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $354 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $382 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $422 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $453 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $478 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $506 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1964 to 1996: $100 is worth $506 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1964-to-1996/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1964 to 1996. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1964-to-1996/
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.