U.S. inflation · 1972–1978
$100 in 1972 has the same buying power as
$156
in 1978
| Cumulative price change | 56.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 7.69% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $156 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $55.98 |
| CPI in 1972 | 41.8 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| Inflation in 1972 | 3.21% |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| $100 in 1972 → 1978 | $156 |
| $100 in 1978 → 1972 | $64.11 |
Between 1972 and 1978, the Consumer Price Index went from 41.8 to 65.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 56.0%, which works out to an average of 7.69% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1972 bought what $0.64 buys in 1978.
| Amount in 1972 | Value in 1978 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.56 |
| $5.00 | $7.80 |
| $10.00 | $15.60 |
| $20.00 | $31.20 |
| $50.00 | $77.99 |
| $100 | $156 |
| $500 | $780 |
| $1,000 | $1,560 |
| $5,000 | $7,799 |
| $10,000 | $15,598 |
| $100,000 | $155,981 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,559,809 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1972 spending costs in 1978, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1972 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 7.69% | $156 |
| Energy | 11.58% | $193 |
| Food | 9.36% | $171 |
| Medical care | 8.78% | $166 |
| Housing | 7.96% | $158 |
| Transportation | 7.54% | $155 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.86% | $149 |
| Apparel | 4.56% | $131 |
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 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $136 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $145 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $156 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1972 to 1978: $100 is worth $156 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1972-to-1978/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1972 to 1978. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1972-to-1978/
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.