U.S. inflation · 1971–1972
$100 in 1971 has the same buying power as
$103
in 1972
| Cumulative price change | 3.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.21% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $103 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $3.21 |
| CPI in 1971 | 40.5 |
| CPI in 1972 | 41.8 |
| Inflation in 1971 | 4.38% |
| Inflation in 1972 | 3.21% |
| $100 in 1971 → 1972 | $103 |
| $100 in 1972 → 1971 | $96.89 |
Between 1971 and 1972, the Consumer Price Index went from 40.5 to 41.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 3.2%, which works out to an average of 3.21% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1971 bought what $0.97 buys in 1972.
| Amount in 1971 | Value in 1972 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.03 |
| $5.00 | $5.16 |
| $10.00 | $10.32 |
| $20.00 | $20.64 |
| $50.00 | $51.60 |
| $100 | $103 |
| $500 | $516 |
| $1,000 | $1,032 |
| $5,000 | $5,160 |
| $10,000 | $10,321 |
| $100,000 | $103,210 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,032,099 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1971 spending costs in 1972, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1971 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.21% | $103 |
| Food | 4.21% | $104 |
| Housing | 3.68% | $104 |
| Medical care | 3.32% | $103 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.04% | $103 |
| Energy | 2.64% | $103 |
| Apparel | 1.96% | $102 |
| Transportation | 1.01% | $101 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1971: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1971 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $100 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $103 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1971 to 1972: $100 is worth $103 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1971-to-1972/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1971 to 1972. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1971-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.