U.S. inflation · 1974–1978
$100 in 1974 has the same buying power as
$132
in 1978
| Cumulative price change | 32.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 7.24% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $132 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $32.25 |
| CPI in 1974 | 49.3 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| Inflation in 1974 | 11.04% |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| $100 in 1974 → 1978 | $132 |
| $100 in 1978 → 1974 | $75.61 |
Between 1974 and 1978, the Consumer Price Index went from 49.3 to 65.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 32.3%, which works out to an average of 7.24% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1974 bought what $0.76 buys in 1978.
| Amount in 1974 | Value in 1978 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.32 |
| $5.00 | $6.61 |
| $10.00 | $13.23 |
| $20.00 | $26.45 |
| $50.00 | $66.13 |
| $100 | $132 |
| $500 | $661 |
| $1,000 | $1,323 |
| $5,000 | $6,613 |
| $10,000 | $13,225 |
| $100,000 | $132,252 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,322,515 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1974 spending costs in 1978, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1974 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 7.24% | $132 |
| Medical care | 9.88% | $146 |
| Energy | 8.34% | $138 |
| Housing | 8.04% | $136 |
| Transportation | 7.73% | $135 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 7.31% | $133 |
| Food | 6.92% | $131 |
| Apparel | 4.07% | $117 |
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 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $123 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $132 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1974 to 1978: $100 is worth $132 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-to-1978/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1974 to 1978. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-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.