U.S. inflation · 1973–1978
$100 in 1973 has the same buying power as
$147
in 1978
| Cumulative price change | 46.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 7.99% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $147 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $46.85 |
| CPI in 1973 | 44.4 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| Inflation in 1973 | 6.22% |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| $100 in 1973 → 1978 | $147 |
| $100 in 1978 → 1973 | $68.10 |
Between 1973 and 1978, the Consumer Price Index went from 44.4 to 65.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 46.8%, which works out to an average of 7.99% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1973 bought what $0.68 buys in 1978.
| Amount in 1973 | Value in 1978 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.47 |
| $5.00 | $7.34 |
| $10.00 | $14.68 |
| $20.00 | $29.37 |
| $50.00 | $73.42 |
| $100 | $147 |
| $500 | $734 |
| $1,000 | $1,468 |
| $5,000 | $7,342 |
| $10,000 | $14,685 |
| $100,000 | $146,847 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,468,468 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1973 spending costs in 1978, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1973 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 7.99% | $147 |
| Energy | 12.30% | $179 |
| Medical care | 9.76% | $159 |
| Housing | 8.66% | $151 |
| Transportation | 8.41% | $150 |
| Food | 8.36% | $149 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 7.51% | $144 |
| Apparel | 4.73% | $126 |
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 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $136 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $147 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1973 to 1978: $100 is worth $147 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1973-to-1978/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1973 to 1978. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1973-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.