U.S. inflation · 1972–1979
$100 in 1972 has the same buying power as
$174
in 1979
| Cumulative price change | 73.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 8.21% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $174 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $73.68 |
| CPI in 1972 | 41.8 |
| CPI in 1979 | 72.6 |
| Inflation in 1972 | 3.21% |
| Inflation in 1979 | 11.35% |
| $100 in 1972 → 1979 | $174 |
| $100 in 1979 → 1972 | $57.58 |
Between 1972 and 1979, the Consumer Price Index went from 41.8 to 72.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 73.7%, which works out to an average of 8.21% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1972 bought what $0.58 buys in 1979.
| Amount in 1972 | Value in 1979 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.74 |
| $5.00 | $8.68 |
| $10.00 | $17.37 |
| $20.00 | $34.74 |
| $50.00 | $86.84 |
| $100 | $174 |
| $500 | $868 |
| $1,000 | $1,737 |
| $5,000 | $8,684 |
| $10,000 | $17,368 |
| $100,000 | $173,684 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,736,842 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1972 spending costs in 1979, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1972 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 8.21% | $174 |
| Energy | 13.43% | $242 |
| Food | 9.59% | $190 |
| Medical care | 8.84% | $181 |
| Housing | 8.58% | $178 |
| Transportation | 8.47% | $177 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 7.27% | $163 |
| Apparel | 4.52% | $136 |
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 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $174 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1972 to 1979: $100 is worth $174 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1972-to-1979/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1972 to 1979. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1972-to-1979/
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.