U.S. inflation · 1972–1975
$100 in 1972 has the same buying power as
$129
in 1975
| Cumulative price change | 28.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 8.78% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $129 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $28.71 |
| CPI in 1972 | 41.8 |
| CPI in 1975 | 53.8 |
| Inflation in 1972 | 3.21% |
| Inflation in 1975 | 9.13% |
| $100 in 1972 → 1975 | $129 |
| $100 in 1975 → 1972 | $77.70 |
Between 1972 and 1975, the Consumer Price Index went from 41.8 to 53.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 28.7%, which works out to an average of 8.78% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1972 bought what $0.78 buys in 1975.
| Amount in 1972 | Value in 1975 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.29 |
| $5.00 | $6.44 |
| $10.00 | $12.87 |
| $20.00 | $25.74 |
| $50.00 | $64.35 |
| $100 | $129 |
| $500 | $644 |
| $1,000 | $1,287 |
| $5,000 | $6,435 |
| $10,000 | $12,871 |
| $100,000 | $128,708 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,287,081 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1972 spending costs in 1975, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1972 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 8.78% | $129 |
| Energy | 15.67% | $155 |
| Food | 12.41% | $142 |
| Housing | 8.77% | $129 |
| Medical care | 8.39% | $127 |
| Transportation | 7.88% | $126 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 7.00% | $122 |
| Apparel | 5.18% | $116 |
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 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $129 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1972 to 1975: $100 is worth $129 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1972-to-1975/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1972 to 1975. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1972-to-1975/
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.