U.S. inflation · 1965–1979
$100 in 1965 has the same buying power as
$230
in 1979
| Cumulative price change | 130.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.15% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $230 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $130 |
| CPI in 1965 | 31.5 |
| CPI in 1979 | 72.6 |
| Inflation in 1965 | 1.61% |
| Inflation in 1979 | 11.35% |
| $100 in 1965 → 1979 | $230 |
| $100 in 1979 → 1965 | $43.39 |
Between 1965 and 1979, the Consumer Price Index went from 31.5 to 72.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 130.5%, which works out to an average of 6.15% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1965 bought what $0.43 buys in 1979.
| Amount in 1965 | Value in 1979 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.30 |
| $5.00 | $11.52 |
| $10.00 | $23.05 |
| $20.00 | $46.10 |
| $50.00 | $115 |
| $100 | $230 |
| $500 | $1,152 |
| $1,000 | $2,305 |
| $5,000 | $11,524 |
| $10,000 | $23,048 |
| $100,000 | $230,476 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,304,762 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1965 spending costs in 1979, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1965 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.15% | $230 |
| Energy | 7.82% | $287 |
| Medical care | 7.29% | $268 |
| Food | 6.71% | $248 |
| Transportation | 5.83% | $221 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.79% | $220 |
| Apparel | 4.19% | $178 |
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 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $171 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $181 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $192 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $207 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $230 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1965 to 1979: $100 is worth $230 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1965-to-1979/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1965 to 1979. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1965-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.