U.S. inflation · 1965–1996
$100 in 1965 has the same buying power as
$498
in 1996
| Cumulative price change | 398.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.32% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $498 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $398 |
| CPI in 1965 | 31.5 |
| CPI in 1996 | 156.9 |
| Inflation in 1965 | 1.61% |
| Inflation in 1996 | 2.95% |
| $100 in 1965 → 1996 | $498 |
| $100 in 1996 → 1965 | $20.08 |
Between 1965 and 1996, the Consumer Price Index went from 31.5 to 156.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 398.1%, which works out to an average of 5.32% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1965 bought what $0.20 buys in 1996.
| Amount in 1965 | Value in 1996 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $4.98 |
| $5.00 | $24.90 |
| $10.00 | $49.81 |
| $20.00 | $99.62 |
| $50.00 | $249 |
| $100 | $498 |
| $500 | $2,490 |
| $1,000 | $4,981 |
| $5,000 | $24,905 |
| $10,000 | $49,810 |
| $100,000 | $498,095 |
| $1,000,000 | $4,980,952 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1965 spending costs in 1996, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1965 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.32% | $498 |
| Medical care | 7.37% | $906 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.37% | $506 |
| Energy | 5.20% | $481 |
| Food | 5.16% | $476 |
| Transportation | 4.96% | $448 |
| Apparel | 3.32% | $276 |
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 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $106 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $117 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $129 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $141 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $171 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $192 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $230 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $289 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $316 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $342 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $361 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $394 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $432 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $459 |
| 1995 | 152.4 | 2.8% | $484 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $498 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1965 to 1996: $100 is worth $498 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1965-to-1996/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1965 to 1996. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1965-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.