U.S. inflation · 1970–1973
$100 in 1970 has the same buying power as
$114
in 1973
| Cumulative price change | 14.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.60% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $114 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $14.43 |
| CPI in 1970 | 38.8 |
| CPI in 1973 | 44.4 |
| Inflation in 1970 | 5.72% |
| Inflation in 1973 | 6.22% |
| $100 in 1970 → 1973 | $114 |
| $100 in 1973 → 1970 | $87.39 |
Between 1970 and 1973, the Consumer Price Index went from 38.8 to 44.4. Cumulatively, prices increased 14.4%, which works out to an average of 4.60% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1970 bought what $0.87 buys in 1973.
| Amount in 1970 | Value in 1973 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.14 |
| $5.00 | $5.72 |
| $10.00 | $11.44 |
| $20.00 | $22.89 |
| $50.00 | $57.22 |
| $100 | $114 |
| $500 | $572 |
| $1,000 | $1,144 |
| $5,000 | $5,722 |
| $10,000 | $11,443 |
| $100,000 | $114,433 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,144,330 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1970 spending costs in 1973, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1970 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.60% | $114 |
| Food | 7.13% | $123 |
| Energy | 4.86% | $115 |
| Medical care | 4.50% | $114 |
| Housing | 4.22% | $113 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.78% | $112 |
| Transportation | 3.19% | $110 |
| Apparel | 2.95% | $109 |
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 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $114 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1970 to 1973: $100 is worth $114 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1970-to-1973/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1970 to 1973. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1970-to-1973/
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.