U.S. inflation · 1974–2007
$100 in 1974 has the same buying power as
$421
in 2007
| Cumulative price change | 320.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.45% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $421 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $321 |
| CPI in 1974 | 49.3 |
| CPI in 2007 | 207.342 |
| Inflation in 1974 | 11.04% |
| Inflation in 2007 | 2.85% |
| $100 in 1974 → 2007 | $421 |
| $100 in 2007 → 1974 | $23.78 |
Between 1974 and 2007, the Consumer Price Index went from 49.3 to 207.342. Cumulatively, prices increased 320.6%, which works out to an average of 4.45% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1974 bought what $0.24 buys in 2007.
| Amount in 1974 | Value in 2007 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $4.21 |
| $5.00 | $21.03 |
| $10.00 | $42.06 |
| $20.00 | $84.11 |
| $50.00 | $210 |
| $100 | $421 |
| $500 | $2,103 |
| $1,000 | $4,206 |
| $5,000 | $21,029 |
| $10,000 | $42,057 |
| $100,000 | $420,572 |
| $1,000,000 | $4,205,720 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1974 spending costs in 2007, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1974 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.45% | $421 |
| Medical care | 6.62% | $828 |
| Energy | 5.27% | $545 |
| Housing | 4.72% | $458 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.49% | $427 |
| Transportation | 4.32% | $403 |
| Food | 4.03% | $368 |
| Apparel | 1.65% | $171 |
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 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $409 |
| 2007 | 207.342 | 2.8% | $421 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1974 to 2007: $100 is worth $421 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-to-2007/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1974 to 2007. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1974-to-2007/
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.