U.S. inflation · 1970–1972
$100 in 1970 has the same buying power as
$108
in 1972
| Cumulative price change | 7.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.79% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $108 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $7.73 |
| CPI in 1970 | 38.8 |
| CPI in 1972 | 41.8 |
| Inflation in 1970 | 5.72% |
| Inflation in 1972 | 3.21% |
| $100 in 1970 → 1972 | $108 |
| $100 in 1972 → 1970 | $92.82 |
Between 1970 and 1972, the Consumer Price Index went from 38.8 to 41.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 7.7%, which works out to an average of 3.79% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1970 bought what $0.93 buys in 1972.
| Amount in 1970 | Value in 1972 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.08 |
| $5.00 | $5.39 |
| $10.00 | $10.77 |
| $20.00 | $21.55 |
| $50.00 | $53.87 |
| $100 | $108 |
| $500 | $539 |
| $1,000 | $1,077 |
| $5,000 | $5,387 |
| $10,000 | $10,773 |
| $100,000 | $107,732 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,077,320 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1970 spending costs in 1972, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1970 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.79% | $108 |
| Medical care | 4.74% | $110 |
| Housing | 4.04% | $108 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.85% | $108 |
| Food | 3.63% | $107 |
| Energy | 3.28% | $107 |
| Transportation | 3.15% | $106 |
| Apparel | 2.58% | $105 |
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 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $108 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1970 to 1972: $100 is worth $108 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1970-to-1972/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1970 to 1972. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1970-to-1972/
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.