U.S. inflation · 1966–1970
$100 in 1966 has the same buying power as
$120
in 1970
| Cumulative price change | 19.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.61% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $120 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $19.75 |
| CPI in 1966 | 32.4 |
| CPI in 1970 | 38.8 |
| Inflation in 1966 | 2.86% |
| Inflation in 1970 | 5.72% |
| $100 in 1966 → 1970 | $120 |
| $100 in 1970 → 1966 | $83.51 |
Between 1966 and 1970, the Consumer Price Index went from 32.4 to 38.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 19.8%, which works out to an average of 4.61% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1966 bought what $0.84 buys in 1970.
| Amount in 1966 | Value in 1970 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.20 |
| $5.00 | $5.99 |
| $10.00 | $11.98 |
| $20.00 | $23.95 |
| $50.00 | $59.88 |
| $100 | $120 |
| $500 | $599 |
| $1,000 | $1,198 |
| $5,000 | $5,988 |
| $10,000 | $11,975 |
| $100,000 | $119,753 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,197,531 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1966 spending costs in 1970, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1966 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.61% | $120 |
| Medical care | 6.63% | $129 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.05% | $122 |
| Apparel | 4.84% | $121 |
| Transportation | 3.80% | $116 |
| Food | 3.77% | $116 |
| Energy | 2.28% | $109 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1966: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1966 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $100 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $103 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $107 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $113 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $120 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1966 to 1970: $100 is worth $120 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1966-to-1970/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1966 to 1970. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1966-to-1970/
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.