U.S. inflation · 1968–1978
$100 in 1968 has the same buying power as
$187
in 1978
| Cumulative price change | 87.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.48% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $187 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $87.36 |
| CPI in 1968 | 34.8 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| Inflation in 1968 | 4.19% |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| $100 in 1968 → 1978 | $187 |
| $100 in 1978 → 1968 | $53.37 |
Between 1968 and 1978, the Consumer Price Index went from 34.8 to 65.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 87.4%, which works out to an average of 6.48% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1968 bought what $0.53 buys in 1978.
| Amount in 1968 | Value in 1978 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.87 |
| $5.00 | $9.37 |
| $10.00 | $18.74 |
| $20.00 | $37.47 |
| $50.00 | $93.68 |
| $100 | $187 |
| $500 | $937 |
| $1,000 | $1,874 |
| $5,000 | $9,368 |
| $10,000 | $18,736 |
| $100,000 | $187,356 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,873,563 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1968 spending costs in 1978, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1968 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.48% | $187 |
| Energy | 8.05% | $217 |
| Medical care | 7.53% | $207 |
| Food | 7.39% | $204 |
| Housing | 6.91% | $195 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.08% | $180 |
| Transportation | 6.05% | $180 |
| Apparel | 4.25% | $152 |
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 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $174 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $187 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1968 to 1978: $100 is worth $187 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1968-to-1978/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1968 to 1978. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1968-to-1978/
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.