U.S. inflation · 1969–1974
$100 in 1969 has the same buying power as
$134
in 1974
| Cumulative price change | 34.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.08% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $134 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $34.33 |
| CPI in 1969 | 36.7 |
| CPI in 1974 | 49.3 |
| Inflation in 1969 | 5.46% |
| Inflation in 1974 | 11.04% |
| $100 in 1969 → 1974 | $134 |
| $100 in 1974 → 1969 | $74.44 |
Between 1969 and 1974, the Consumer Price Index went from 36.7 to 49.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 34.3%, which works out to an average of 6.08% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1969 bought what $0.74 buys in 1974.
| Amount in 1969 | Value in 1974 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.34 |
| $5.00 | $6.72 |
| $10.00 | $13.43 |
| $20.00 | $26.87 |
| $50.00 | $67.17 |
| $100 | $134 |
| $500 | $672 |
| $1,000 | $1,343 |
| $5,000 | $6,717 |
| $10,000 | $13,433 |
| $100,000 | $134,332 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,343,324 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1969 spending costs in 1974, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1969 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.08% | $134 |
| Energy | 8.97% | $154 |
| Food | 8.23% | $149 |
| Housing | 6.14% | $135 |
| Medical care | 5.86% | $133 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.17% | $129 |
| Transportation | 5.11% | $128 |
| Apparel | 4.09% | $122 |
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 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $134 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1969 to 1974: $100 is worth $134 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1969-to-1974/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1969 to 1974. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1969-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.