U.S. inflation · 1965–1974
$100 in 1965 has the same buying power as
$157
in 1974
| Cumulative price change | 56.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.10% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $157 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $56.51 |
| CPI in 1965 | 31.5 |
| CPI in 1974 | 49.3 |
| Inflation in 1965 | 1.61% |
| Inflation in 1974 | 11.04% |
| $100 in 1965 → 1974 | $157 |
| $100 in 1974 → 1965 | $63.89 |
Between 1965 and 1974, the Consumer Price Index went from 31.5 to 49.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 56.5%, which works out to an average of 5.10% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1965 bought what $0.64 buys in 1974.
| Amount in 1965 | Value in 1974 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.57 |
| $5.00 | $7.83 |
| $10.00 | $15.65 |
| $20.00 | $31.30 |
| $50.00 | $78.25 |
| $100 | $157 |
| $500 | $783 |
| $1,000 | $1,565 |
| $5,000 | $7,825 |
| $10,000 | $15,651 |
| $100,000 | $156,508 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,565,079 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1965 spending costs in 1974, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1965 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.10% | $157 |
| Food | 6.15% | $171 |
| Medical care | 5.95% | $168 |
| Energy | 5.82% | $166 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.69% | $151 |
| Apparel | 4.23% | $145 |
| Transportation | 4.10% | $144 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1965: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1965 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $100 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $103 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $106 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $110 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $117 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $123 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $129 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $133 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $141 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $157 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1965 to 1974: $100 is worth $157 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1965-to-1974/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1965 to 1974. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1965-to-1974/
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.