U.S. inflation · 1973–1976
$100 in 1973 has the same buying power as
$128
in 1976
| Cumulative price change | 28.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 8.62% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $128 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $28.15 |
| CPI in 1973 | 44.4 |
| CPI in 1976 | 56.9 |
| Inflation in 1973 | 6.22% |
| Inflation in 1976 | 5.76% |
| $100 in 1973 → 1976 | $128 |
| $100 in 1976 → 1973 | $78.03 |
Between 1973 and 1976, the Consumer Price Index went from 44.4 to 56.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 28.2%, which works out to an average of 8.62% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1973 bought what $0.78 buys in 1976.
| Amount in 1973 | Value in 1976 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.28 |
| $5.00 | $6.41 |
| $10.00 | $12.82 |
| $20.00 | $25.63 |
| $50.00 | $64.08 |
| $100 | $128 |
| $500 | $641 |
| $1,000 | $1,282 |
| $5,000 | $6,408 |
| $10,000 | $12,815 |
| $100,000 | $128,153 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,281,532 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1973 spending costs in 1976, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1973 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 8.62% | $128 |
| Energy | 15.33% | $153 |
| Medical care | 10.25% | $134 |
| Transportation | 10.18% | $134 |
| Housing | 9.30% | $131 |
| Food | 8.52% | $128 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 7.97% | $126 |
| Apparel | 5.20% | $116 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1973: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1973 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $100 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $111 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $121 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $128 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1973 to 1976: $100 is worth $128 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1973-to-1976/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1973 to 1976. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1973-to-1976/
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.