U.S. inflation · 1974–1976
$100 in 1974 has the same buying power as
$115
in 1976
| Cumulative price change | 15.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 7.43% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $115 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $15.42 |
| CPI in 1974 | 49.3 |
| CPI in 1976 | 56.9 |
| Inflation in 1974 | 11.04% |
| Inflation in 1976 | 5.76% |
| $100 in 1974 → 1976 | $115 |
| $100 in 1976 → 1974 | $86.64 |
Between 1974 and 1976, the Consumer Price Index went from 49.3 to 56.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 15.4%, which works out to an average of 7.43% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1974 bought what $0.87 buys in 1976.
| Amount in 1974 | Value in 1976 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.15 |
| $5.00 | $5.77 |
| $10.00 | $11.54 |
| $20.00 | $23.08 |
| $50.00 | $57.71 |
| $100 | $115 |
| $500 | $577 |
| $1,000 | $1,154 |
| $5,000 | $5,771 |
| $10,000 | $11,542 |
| $100,000 | $115,416 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,154,158 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1974 spending costs in 1976, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1974 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 7.43% | $115 |
| Medical care | 10.74% | $123 |
| Transportation | 9.68% | $120 |
| Energy | 8.80% | $118 |
| Housing | 8.38% | $117 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 7.79% | $116 |
| Food | 5.73% | $112 |
| Apparel | 4.09% | $108 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1974: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1974 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $100 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $109 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $115 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1974 to 1976: $100 is worth $115 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-to-1976/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1974 to 1976. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-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.