U.S. inflation · 1973–1979
$100 in 1973 has the same buying power as
$164
in 1979
| Cumulative price change | 63.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 8.54% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $164 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $63.51 |
| CPI in 1973 | 44.4 |
| CPI in 1979 | 72.6 |
| Inflation in 1973 | 6.22% |
| Inflation in 1979 | 11.35% |
| $100 in 1973 → 1979 | $164 |
| $100 in 1979 → 1973 | $61.16 |
Between 1973 and 1979, the Consumer Price Index went from 44.4 to 72.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 63.5%, which works out to an average of 8.54% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1973 bought what $0.61 buys in 1979.
| Amount in 1973 | Value in 1979 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.64 |
| $5.00 | $8.18 |
| $10.00 | $16.35 |
| $20.00 | $32.70 |
| $50.00 | $81.76 |
| $100 | $164 |
| $500 | $818 |
| $1,000 | $1,635 |
| $5,000 | $8,176 |
| $10,000 | $16,351 |
| $100,000 | $163,514 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,635,135 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1973 spending costs in 1979, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1973 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 8.54% | $164 |
| Energy | 14.34% | $223 |
| Medical care | 9.67% | $174 |
| Transportation | 9.37% | $171 |
| Housing | 9.26% | $170 |
| Food | 8.79% | $166 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 7.88% | $158 |
| Apparel | 4.66% | $131 |
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 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $164 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1973 to 1979: $100 is worth $164 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1973-to-1979/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1973 to 1979. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1973-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.