U.S. inflation · 1969–1973
$100 in 1969 has the same buying power as
$121
in 1973
| Cumulative price change | 21.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.88% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $121 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $20.98 |
| CPI in 1969 | 36.7 |
| CPI in 1973 | 44.4 |
| Inflation in 1969 | 5.46% |
| Inflation in 1973 | 6.22% |
| $100 in 1969 → 1973 | $121 |
| $100 in 1973 → 1969 | $82.66 |
Between 1969 and 1973, the Consumer Price Index went from 36.7 to 44.4. Cumulatively, prices increased 21.0%, which works out to an average of 4.88% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1969 bought what $0.83 buys in 1973.
| Amount in 1969 | Value in 1973 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.21 |
| $5.00 | $6.05 |
| $10.00 | $12.10 |
| $20.00 | $24.20 |
| $50.00 | $60.49 |
| $100 | $121 |
| $500 | $605 |
| $1,000 | $1,210 |
| $5,000 | $6,049 |
| $10,000 | $12,098 |
| $100,000 | $120,981 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,209,809 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1969 spending costs in 1973, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1969 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.88% | $121 |
| Food | 6.76% | $130 |
| Medical care | 5.02% | $122 |
| Housing | 4.92% | $121 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.39% | $119 |
| Energy | 4.35% | $119 |
| Transportation | 3.65% | $115 |
| Apparel | 3.27% | $114 |
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 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $121 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1969 to 1973: $100 is worth $121 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1969-to-1973/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1969 to 1973. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1969-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.