U.S. inflation · 1971–1977
$100 in 1971 has the same buying power as
$150
in 1977
| Cumulative price change | 49.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.95% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $150 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $49.63 |
| CPI in 1971 | 40.5 |
| CPI in 1977 | 60.6 |
| Inflation in 1971 | 4.38% |
| Inflation in 1977 | 6.50% |
| $100 in 1971 → 1977 | $150 |
| $100 in 1977 → 1971 | $66.83 |
Between 1971 and 1977, the Consumer Price Index went from 40.5 to 60.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 49.6%, which works out to an average of 6.95% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1971 bought what $0.67 buys in 1977.
| Amount in 1971 | Value in 1977 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.50 |
| $5.00 | $7.48 |
| $10.00 | $14.96 |
| $20.00 | $29.93 |
| $50.00 | $74.81 |
| $100 | $150 |
| $500 | $748 |
| $1,000 | $1,496 |
| $5,000 | $7,481 |
| $10,000 | $14,963 |
| $100,000 | $149,630 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,496,296 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1971 spending costs in 1977, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1971 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.95% | $150 |
| Energy | 10.94% | $186 |
| Food | 8.39% | $162 |
| Medical care | 7.91% | $158 |
| Housing | 7.12% | $151 |
| Transportation | 6.92% | $149 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.12% | $143 |
| Apparel | 4.29% | $129 |
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 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $150 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1971 to 1977: $100 is worth $150 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1971-to-1977/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1971 to 1977. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1971-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.