U.S. inflation · 1970–1976
$100 in 1970 has the same buying power as
$147
in 1976
| Cumulative price change | 46.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.59% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $147 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $46.65 |
| CPI in 1970 | 38.8 |
| CPI in 1976 | 56.9 |
| Inflation in 1970 | 5.72% |
| Inflation in 1976 | 5.76% |
| $100 in 1970 → 1976 | $147 |
| $100 in 1976 → 1970 | $68.19 |
Between 1970 and 1976, the Consumer Price Index went from 38.8 to 56.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 46.6%, which works out to an average of 6.59% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1970 bought what $0.68 buys in 1976.
| Amount in 1970 | Value in 1976 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.47 |
| $5.00 | $7.33 |
| $10.00 | $14.66 |
| $20.00 | $29.33 |
| $50.00 | $73.32 |
| $100 | $147 |
| $500 | $733 |
| $1,000 | $1,466 |
| $5,000 | $7,332 |
| $10,000 | $14,665 |
| $100,000 | $146,649 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,466,495 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1970 spending costs in 1976, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1970 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.59% | $147 |
| Energy | 9.97% | $177 |
| Food | 7.82% | $157 |
| Medical care | 7.34% | $153 |
| Housing | 6.73% | $148 |
| Transportation | 6.62% | $147 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.85% | $141 |
| Apparel | 4.07% | $127 |
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 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $127 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $139 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $147 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1970 to 1976: $100 is worth $147 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1970-to-1976/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1970 to 1976. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1970-to-1976/
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.