U.S. inflation · 1970–1977
$100 in 1970 has the same buying power as
$156
in 1977
| Cumulative price change | 56.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.58% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $156 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $56.19 |
| CPI in 1970 | 38.8 |
| CPI in 1977 | 60.6 |
| Inflation in 1970 | 5.72% |
| Inflation in 1977 | 6.50% |
| $100 in 1970 → 1977 | $156 |
| $100 in 1977 → 1970 | $64.03 |
Between 1970 and 1977, the Consumer Price Index went from 38.8 to 60.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 56.2%, which works out to an average of 6.58% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1970 bought what $0.64 buys in 1977.
| Amount in 1970 | Value in 1977 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.56 |
| $5.00 | $7.81 |
| $10.00 | $15.62 |
| $20.00 | $31.24 |
| $50.00 | $78.09 |
| $100 | $156 |
| $500 | $781 |
| $1,000 | $1,562 |
| $5,000 | $7,809 |
| $10,000 | $15,619 |
| $100,000 | $156,186 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,561,856 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1970 spending costs in 1977, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1970 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.58% | $156 |
| Energy | 9.91% | $194 |
| Medical care | 7.66% | $168 |
| Food | 7.61% | $167 |
| Housing | 6.72% | $158 |
| Transportation | 6.69% | $157 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.91% | $150 |
| Apparel | 4.13% | $133 |
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 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $156 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1970 to 1977: $100 is worth $156 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1970-to-1977/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1970 to 1977. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1970-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.