U.S. inflation · 1972–1974
$100 in 1972 has the same buying power as
$118
in 1974
| Cumulative price change | 17.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 8.60% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $118 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $17.94 |
| CPI in 1972 | 41.8 |
| CPI in 1974 | 49.3 |
| Inflation in 1972 | 3.21% |
| Inflation in 1974 | 11.04% |
| $100 in 1972 → 1974 | $118 |
| $100 in 1974 → 1972 | $84.79 |
Between 1972 and 1974, the Consumer Price Index went from 41.8 to 49.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 17.9%, which works out to an average of 8.60% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1972 bought what $0.85 buys in 1974.
| Amount in 1972 | Value in 1974 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.18 |
| $5.00 | $5.90 |
| $10.00 | $11.79 |
| $20.00 | $23.59 |
| $50.00 | $58.97 |
| $100 | $118 |
| $500 | $590 |
| $1,000 | $1,179 |
| $5,000 | $5,897 |
| $10,000 | $11,794 |
| $100,000 | $117,943 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,179,426 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1972 spending costs in 1974, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1972 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 8.60% | $118 |
| Energy | 18.35% | $140 |
| Food | 14.40% | $131 |
| Housing | 7.82% | $116 |
| Transportation | 7.14% | $115 |
| Medical care | 6.62% | $114 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.96% | $112 |
| Apparel | 5.54% | $111 |
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 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $118 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1972 to 1974: $100 is worth $118 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1972-to-1974/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1972 to 1974. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1972-to-1974/
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.