U.S. inflation · 1974–1979
$100 in 1974 has the same buying power as
$147
in 1979
| Cumulative price change | 47.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 8.05% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $147 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $47.26 |
| CPI in 1974 | 49.3 |
| CPI in 1979 | 72.6 |
| Inflation in 1974 | 11.04% |
| Inflation in 1979 | 11.35% |
| $100 in 1974 → 1979 | $147 |
| $100 in 1979 → 1974 | $67.91 |
Between 1974 and 1979, the Consumer Price Index went from 49.3 to 72.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 47.3%, which works out to an average of 8.05% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1974 bought what $0.68 buys in 1979.
| Amount in 1974 | Value in 1979 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.47 |
| $5.00 | $7.36 |
| $10.00 | $14.73 |
| $20.00 | $29.45 |
| $50.00 | $73.63 |
| $100 | $147 |
| $500 | $736 |
| $1,000 | $1,473 |
| $5,000 | $7,363 |
| $10,000 | $14,726 |
| $100,000 | $147,262 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,472,617 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1974 spending costs in 1979, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1974 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 8.05% | $147 |
| Energy | 11.51% | $172 |
| Medical care | 9.75% | $159 |
| Transportation | 9.01% | $154 |
| Housing | 8.89% | $153 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 7.80% | $146 |
| Food | 7.72% | $145 |
| Apparel | 4.11% | $122 |
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 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $147 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1974 to 1979: $100 is worth $147 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-to-1979/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1974 to 1979. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-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.