U.S. inflation · 1971–1976
$100 in 1971 has the same buying power as
$140
in 1976
| Cumulative price change | 40.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 7.04% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $140 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $40.49 |
| CPI in 1971 | 40.5 |
| CPI in 1976 | 56.9 |
| Inflation in 1971 | 4.38% |
| Inflation in 1976 | 5.76% |
| $100 in 1971 → 1976 | $140 |
| $100 in 1976 → 1971 | $71.18 |
Between 1971 and 1976, the Consumer Price Index went from 40.5 to 56.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 40.5%, which works out to an average of 7.04% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1971 bought what $0.71 buys in 1976.
| Amount in 1971 | Value in 1976 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.40 |
| $5.00 | $7.02 |
| $10.00 | $14.05 |
| $20.00 | $28.10 |
| $50.00 | $70.25 |
| $100 | $140 |
| $500 | $702 |
| $1,000 | $1,405 |
| $5,000 | $7,025 |
| $10,000 | $14,049 |
| $100,000 | $140,494 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,404,938 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1971 spending costs in 1976, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1971 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 7.04% | $140 |
| Energy | 11.22% | $170 |
| Food | 8.80% | $152 |
| Medical care | 7.57% | $144 |
| Housing | 7.20% | $142 |
| Transportation | 6.88% | $139 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.10% | $134 |
| Apparel | 4.24% | $123 |
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 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $110 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $122 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $133 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $140 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1971 to 1976: $100 is worth $140 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1971-to-1976/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1971 to 1976. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1971-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.