U.S. inflation · 1972–1973
$100 in 1972 has the same buying power as
$106
in 1973
| Cumulative price change | 6.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.22% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $106 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $6.22 |
| CPI in 1972 | 41.8 |
| CPI in 1973 | 44.4 |
| Inflation in 1972 | 3.21% |
| Inflation in 1973 | 6.22% |
| $100 in 1972 → 1973 | $106 |
| $100 in 1973 → 1972 | $94.14 |
Between 1972 and 1973, the Consumer Price Index went from 41.8 to 44.4. Cumulatively, prices increased 6.2%, which works out to an average of 6.22% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1972 bought what $0.94 buys in 1973.
| Amount in 1972 | Value in 1973 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.06 |
| $5.00 | $5.31 |
| $10.00 | $10.62 |
| $20.00 | $21.24 |
| $50.00 | $53.11 |
| $100 | $106 |
| $500 | $531 |
| $1,000 | $1,062 |
| $5,000 | $5,311 |
| $10,000 | $10,622 |
| $100,000 | $106,220 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,062,201 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1972 spending costs in 1973, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1972 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.22% | $106 |
| Food | 14.49% | $114 |
| Energy | 8.09% | $108 |
| Housing | 4.57% | $105 |
| Medical care | 4.02% | $104 |
| Apparel | 3.69% | $104 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.64% | $104 |
| Transportation | 3.26% | $103 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1972: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1972 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $100 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $106 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1972 to 1973: $100 is worth $106 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1972-to-1973/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1972 to 1973. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1972-to-1973/
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.