U.S. inflation · 1970–2012
$100 in 1970 has the same buying power as
$592
in 2012
| Cumulative price change | 491.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.32% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $592 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $492 |
| CPI in 1970 | 38.8 |
| CPI in 2012 | 229.594 |
| Inflation in 1970 | 5.72% |
| Inflation in 2012 | 2.07% |
| $100 in 1970 → 2012 | $592 |
| $100 in 2012 → 1970 | $16.90 |
Between 1970 and 2012, the Consumer Price Index went from 38.8 to 229.594. Cumulatively, prices increased 491.7%, which works out to an average of 4.32% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1970 bought what $0.17 buys in 2012.
| Amount in 1970 | Value in 2012 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $5.92 |
| $5.00 | $29.59 |
| $10.00 | $59.17 |
| $20.00 | $118 |
| $50.00 | $296 |
| $100 | $592 |
| $500 | $2,959 |
| $1,000 | $5,917 |
| $5,000 | $29,587 |
| $10,000 | $59,174 |
| $100,000 | $591,737 |
| $1,000,000 | $5,917,371 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1970 spending costs in 2012, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1970 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.32% | $592 |
| Medical care | 6.14% | $1,220 |
| Energy | 5.55% | $965 |
| Housing | 4.41% | $612 |
| Food | 4.34% | $596 |
| Transportation | 4.27% | $580 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.20% | $563 |
| Apparel | 1.82% | $213 |
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 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $108 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $127 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $147 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $168 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $212 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $249 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $268 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $282 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $305 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $337 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $362 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $382 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $404 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $420 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | 3.4% | $444 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $464 |
| 2004 | 188.9 | 2.7% | $487 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $520 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $555 |
| 2010 | 218.056 | 1.6% | $562 |
| 2012 | 229.594 | 2.1% | $592 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1970 to 2012: $100 is worth $592 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1970-to-2012/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1970 to 2012. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1970-to-2012/
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.