U.S. inflation · 1969–1975
$100 in 1969 has the same buying power as
$147
in 1975
| Cumulative price change | 46.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.58% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $147 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $46.59 |
| CPI in 1969 | 36.7 |
| CPI in 1975 | 53.8 |
| Inflation in 1969 | 5.46% |
| Inflation in 1975 | 9.13% |
| $100 in 1969 → 1975 | $147 |
| $100 in 1975 → 1969 | $68.22 |
Between 1969 and 1975, the Consumer Price Index went from 36.7 to 53.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 46.6%, which works out to an average of 6.58% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1969 bought what $0.68 buys in 1975.
| Amount in 1969 | Value in 1975 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.47 |
| $5.00 | $7.33 |
| $10.00 | $14.66 |
| $20.00 | $29.32 |
| $50.00 | $73.30 |
| $100 | $147 |
| $500 | $733 |
| $1,000 | $1,466 |
| $5,000 | $7,330 |
| $10,000 | $14,659 |
| $100,000 | $146,594 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,465,940 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1969 spending costs in 1975, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1969 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.58% | $147 |
| Energy | 9.22% | $170 |
| Food | 8.28% | $161 |
| Housing | 6.89% | $149 |
| Medical care | 6.86% | $149 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.81% | $140 |
| Transportation | 5.81% | $140 |
| Apparel | 4.15% | $128 |
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 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $147 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1969 to 1975: $100 is worth $147 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1969-to-1975/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1969 to 1975. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1969-to-1975/
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.