U.S. inflation · 1969–1977
$100 in 1969 has the same buying power as
$165
in 1977
| Cumulative price change | 65.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.47% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $165 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $65.12 |
| CPI in 1969 | 36.7 |
| CPI in 1977 | 60.6 |
| Inflation in 1969 | 5.46% |
| Inflation in 1977 | 6.50% |
| $100 in 1969 → 1977 | $165 |
| $100 in 1977 → 1969 | $60.56 |
Between 1969 and 1977, the Consumer Price Index went from 36.7 to 60.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 65.1%, which works out to an average of 6.47% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1969 bought what $0.61 buys in 1977.
| Amount in 1969 | Value in 1977 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.65 |
| $5.00 | $8.26 |
| $10.00 | $16.51 |
| $20.00 | $33.02 |
| $50.00 | $82.56 |
| $100 | $165 |
| $500 | $826 |
| $1,000 | $1,651 |
| $5,000 | $8,256 |
| $10,000 | $16,512 |
| $100,000 | $165,123 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,651,226 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1969 spending costs in 1977, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1969 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.47% | $165 |
| Energy | 9.00% | $199 |
| Medical care | 7.53% | $179 |
| Food | 7.36% | $177 |
| Housing | 6.77% | $169 |
| Transportation | 6.48% | $165 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.96% | $159 |
| Apparel | 4.14% | $138 |
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 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $155 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $165 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1969 to 1977: $100 is worth $165 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1969-to-1977/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1969 to 1977. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1969-to-1977/
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.