U.S. inflation · 1974–2005
$100 in 1974 has the same buying power as
$396
in 2005
| Cumulative price change | 296.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.54% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $396 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $296 |
| CPI in 1974 | 49.3 |
| CPI in 2005 | 195.3 |
| Inflation in 1974 | 11.04% |
| Inflation in 2005 | 3.39% |
| $100 in 1974 → 2005 | $396 |
| $100 in 2005 → 1974 | $25.24 |
Between 1974 and 2005, the Consumer Price Index went from 49.3 to 195.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 296.1%, which works out to an average of 4.54% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1974 bought what $0.25 buys in 2005.
| Amount in 1974 | Value in 2005 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $3.96 |
| $5.00 | $19.81 |
| $10.00 | $39.61 |
| $20.00 | $79.23 |
| $50.00 | $198 |
| $100 | $396 |
| $500 | $1,981 |
| $1,000 | $3,961 |
| $5,000 | $19,807 |
| $10,000 | $39,615 |
| $100,000 | $396,146 |
| $1,000,000 | $3,961,460 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1974 spending costs in 2005, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1974 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.54% | $396 |
| Medical care | 6.77% | $762 |
| Energy | 5.08% | $465 |
| Housing | 4.80% | $427 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.63% | $407 |
| Transportation | 4.40% | $380 |
| Food | 4.09% | $346 |
| Apparel | 1.77% | $172 |
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 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $115 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $132 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $167 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $196 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $211 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $222 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $240 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $265 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $285 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $301 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $318 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $331 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | 3.4% | $349 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $365 |
| 2004 | 188.9 | 2.7% | $383 |
| 2005 | 195.3 | 3.4% | $396 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1974 to 2005: $100 is worth $396 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-to-2005/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1974 to 2005. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-to-2005/
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.