U.S. inflation · 1968–1974
$100 in 1968 has the same buying power as
$142
in 1974
| Cumulative price change | 41.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.98% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $142 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $41.67 |
| CPI in 1968 | 34.8 |
| CPI in 1974 | 49.3 |
| Inflation in 1968 | 4.19% |
| Inflation in 1974 | 11.04% |
| $100 in 1968 → 1974 | $142 |
| $100 in 1974 → 1968 | $70.59 |
Between 1968 and 1974, the Consumer Price Index went from 34.8 to 49.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 41.7%, which works out to an average of 5.98% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1968 bought what $0.71 buys in 1974.
| Amount in 1968 | Value in 1974 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.42 |
| $5.00 | $7.08 |
| $10.00 | $14.17 |
| $20.00 | $28.33 |
| $50.00 | $70.83 |
| $100 | $142 |
| $500 | $708 |
| $1,000 | $1,417 |
| $5,000 | $7,083 |
| $10,000 | $14,167 |
| $100,000 | $141,667 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,416,667 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1968 spending costs in 1974, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1968 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.98% | $142 |
| Energy | 7.86% | $157 |
| Food | 7.70% | $156 |
| Housing | 6.16% | $143 |
| Medical care | 5.99% | $142 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.27% | $136 |
| Transportation | 4.94% | $134 |
| Apparel | 4.37% | $129 |
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 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $142 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1968 to 1974: $100 is worth $142 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1968-to-1974/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1968 to 1974. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1968-to-1974/
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.