U.S. inflation · 1968–1976
$100 in 1968 has the same buying power as
$164
in 1976
| Cumulative price change | 63.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.34% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $164 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $63.51 |
| CPI in 1968 | 34.8 |
| CPI in 1976 | 56.9 |
| Inflation in 1968 | 4.19% |
| Inflation in 1976 | 5.76% |
| $100 in 1968 → 1976 | $164 |
| $100 in 1976 → 1968 | $61.16 |
Between 1968 and 1976, the Consumer Price Index went from 34.8 to 56.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 63.5%, which works out to an average of 6.34% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1968 bought what $0.61 buys in 1976.
| Amount in 1968 | Value in 1976 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.64 |
| $5.00 | $8.18 |
| $10.00 | $16.35 |
| $20.00 | $32.70 |
| $50.00 | $81.75 |
| $100 | $164 |
| $500 | $818 |
| $1,000 | $1,635 |
| $5,000 | $8,175 |
| $10,000 | $16,351 |
| $100,000 | $163,506 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,635,057 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1968 spending costs in 1976, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1968 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.34% | $164 |
| Energy | 8.09% | $186 |
| Food | 7.21% | $175 |
| Medical care | 7.16% | $174 |
| Housing | 6.71% | $168 |
| Transportation | 6.10% | $161 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.90% | $158 |
| Apparel | 4.30% | $140 |
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 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $155 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $164 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1968 to 1976: $100 is worth $164 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1968-to-1976/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1968 to 1976. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1968-to-1976/
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.