U.S. inflation · 1969–1972
$100 in 1969 has the same buying power as
$114
in 1972
| Cumulative price change | 13.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.43% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $114 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $13.90 |
| CPI in 1969 | 36.7 |
| CPI in 1972 | 41.8 |
| Inflation in 1969 | 5.46% |
| Inflation in 1972 | 3.21% |
| $100 in 1969 → 1972 | $114 |
| $100 in 1972 → 1969 | $87.80 |
Between 1969 and 1972, the Consumer Price Index went from 36.7 to 41.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 13.9%, which works out to an average of 4.43% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1969 bought what $0.88 buys in 1972.
| Amount in 1969 | Value in 1972 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.14 |
| $5.00 | $5.69 |
| $10.00 | $11.39 |
| $20.00 | $22.78 |
| $50.00 | $56.95 |
| $100 | $114 |
| $500 | $569 |
| $1,000 | $1,139 |
| $5,000 | $5,695 |
| $10,000 | $11,390 |
| $100,000 | $113,896 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,138,965 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1969 spending costs in 1972, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1969 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.43% | $114 |
| Medical care | 5.35% | $117 |
| Housing | 5.04% | $116 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.64% | $115 |
| Food | 4.30% | $113 |
| Transportation | 3.78% | $112 |
| Apparel | 3.13% | $110 |
| Energy | 3.13% | $110 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1969: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1969 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $100 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $106 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $110 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $114 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1969 to 1972: $100 is worth $114 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1969-to-1972/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1969 to 1972. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1969-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.