U.S. inflation · 1965–2004
$100 in 1965 has the same buying power as
$600
in 2004
| Cumulative price change | 499.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.70% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $600 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $500 |
| CPI in 1965 | 31.5 |
| CPI in 2004 | 188.9 |
| Inflation in 1965 | 1.61% |
| Inflation in 2004 | 2.66% |
| $100 in 1965 → 2004 | $600 |
| $100 in 2004 → 1965 | $16.68 |
Between 1965 and 2004, the Consumer Price Index went from 31.5 to 188.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 499.7%, which works out to an average of 4.70% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1965 bought what $0.17 buys in 2004.
| Amount in 1965 | Value in 2004 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $6.00 |
| $5.00 | $29.98 |
| $10.00 | $59.97 |
| $20.00 | $120 |
| $50.00 | $300 |
| $100 | $600 |
| $500 | $2,998 |
| $1,000 | $5,997 |
| $5,000 | $29,984 |
| $10,000 | $59,968 |
| $100,000 | $599,683 |
| $1,000,000 | $5,996,825 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1965 spending costs in 2004, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1965 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.70% | $600 |
| Medical care | 6.65% | $1,231 |
| Energy | 4.96% | $661 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.71% | $601 |
| Food | 4.60% | $578 |
| Transportation | 4.27% | $511 |
| Apparel | 2.40% | $252 |
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 |
| 1997 | 160.5 | 2.3% | $510 |
| 1999 | 166.6 | 2.2% | $529 |
| 2001 | 177.1 | 2.8% | $562 |
| 2003 | 184 | 2.3% | $584 |
| 2004 | 188.9 | 2.7% | $600 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1965 to 2004: $100 is worth $600 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1965-to-2004/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1965 to 2004. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1965-to-2004/
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.