U.S. inflation · 1966–1972
$100 in 1966 has the same buying power as
$129
in 1972
| Cumulative price change | 29.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.34% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $129 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $29.01 |
| CPI in 1966 | 32.4 |
| CPI in 1972 | 41.8 |
| Inflation in 1966 | 2.86% |
| Inflation in 1972 | 3.21% |
| $100 in 1966 → 1972 | $129 |
| $100 in 1972 → 1966 | $77.51 |
Between 1966 and 1972, the Consumer Price Index went from 32.4 to 41.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 29.0%, which works out to an average of 4.34% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1966 bought what $0.78 buys in 1972.
| Amount in 1966 | Value in 1972 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.29 |
| $5.00 | $6.45 |
| $10.00 | $12.90 |
| $20.00 | $25.80 |
| $50.00 | $64.51 |
| $100 | $129 |
| $500 | $645 |
| $1,000 | $1,290 |
| $5,000 | $6,451 |
| $10,000 | $12,901 |
| $100,000 | $129,012 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,290,123 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1966 spending costs in 1972, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1966 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.34% | $129 |
| Medical care | 6.00% | $142 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.65% | $131 |
| Apparel | 4.08% | $127 |
| Food | 3.73% | $125 |
| Transportation | 3.58% | $124 |
| Energy | 2.61% | $117 |
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 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $125 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $129 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1966 to 1972: $100 is worth $129 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1966-to-1972/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1966 to 1972. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1966-to-1972/
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.