U.S. inflation · 1968–1973
$100 in 1968 has the same buying power as
$128
in 1973
| Cumulative price change | 27.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.99% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $128 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $27.59 |
| CPI in 1968 | 34.8 |
| CPI in 1973 | 44.4 |
| Inflation in 1968 | 4.19% |
| Inflation in 1973 | 6.22% |
| $100 in 1968 → 1973 | $128 |
| $100 in 1973 → 1968 | $78.38 |
Between 1968 and 1973, the Consumer Price Index went from 34.8 to 44.4. Cumulatively, prices increased 27.6%, which works out to an average of 4.99% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1968 bought what $0.78 buys in 1973.
| Amount in 1968 | Value in 1973 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.28 |
| $5.00 | $6.38 |
| $10.00 | $12.76 |
| $20.00 | $25.52 |
| $50.00 | $63.79 |
| $100 | $128 |
| $500 | $638 |
| $1,000 | $1,276 |
| $5,000 | $6,379 |
| $10,000 | $12,759 |
| $100,000 | $127,586 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,275,862 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1968 spending costs in 1973, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1968 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.99% | $128 |
| Food | 6.43% | $137 |
| Medical care | 5.35% | $130 |
| Housing | 5.18% | $129 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.67% | $126 |
| Energy | 3.97% | $121 |
| Apparel | 3.77% | $120 |
| Transportation | 3.73% | $120 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1968: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1968 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $100 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $105 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $111 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $116 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $120 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $128 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1968 to 1973: $100 is worth $128 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1968-to-1973/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1968 to 1973. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1968-to-1973/
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.