U.S. inflation · 1970–1971
$100 in 1970 has the same buying power as
$104
in 1971
| Cumulative price change | 4.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.38% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $104 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $4.38 |
| CPI in 1970 | 38.8 |
| CPI in 1971 | 40.5 |
| Inflation in 1970 | 5.72% |
| Inflation in 1971 | 4.38% |
| $100 in 1970 → 1971 | $104 |
| $100 in 1971 → 1970 | $95.80 |
Between 1970 and 1971, the Consumer Price Index went from 38.8 to 40.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 4.4%, which works out to an average of 4.38% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1970 bought what $0.96 buys in 1971.
| Amount in 1970 | Value in 1971 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.04 |
| $5.00 | $5.22 |
| $10.00 | $10.44 |
| $20.00 | $20.88 |
| $50.00 | $52.19 |
| $100 | $104 |
| $500 | $522 |
| $1,000 | $1,044 |
| $5,000 | $5,219 |
| $10,000 | $10,438 |
| $100,000 | $104,381 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,043,814 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1970 spending costs in 1971, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1970 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.38% | $104 |
| Medical care | 6.18% | $106 |
| Transportation | 5.33% | $105 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.66% | $105 |
| Housing | 4.40% | $104 |
| Energy | 3.92% | $104 |
| Apparel | 3.21% | $103 |
| Food | 3.06% | $103 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1970: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1970 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $100 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $104 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1970 to 1971: $100 is worth $104 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1970-to-1971/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1970 to 1971. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1970-to-1971/
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.