U.S. inflation · 1975–1978
$100 in 1975 has the same buying power as
$121
in 1978
| Cumulative price change | 21.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.62% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $121 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $21.19 |
| CPI in 1975 | 53.8 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| Inflation in 1975 | 9.13% |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| $100 in 1975 → 1978 | $121 |
| $100 in 1978 → 1975 | $82.52 |
Between 1975 and 1978, the Consumer Price Index went from 53.8 to 65.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 21.2%, which works out to an average of 6.62% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1975 bought what $0.83 buys in 1978.
| Amount in 1975 | Value in 1978 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.21 |
| $5.00 | $6.06 |
| $10.00 | $12.12 |
| $20.00 | $24.24 |
| $50.00 | $60.59 |
| $100 | $121 |
| $500 | $606 |
| $1,000 | $1,212 |
| $5,000 | $6,059 |
| $10,000 | $12,119 |
| $100,000 | $121,190 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,211,896 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1975 spending costs in 1978, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1975 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.62% | $121 |
| Medical care | 9.17% | $130 |
| Energy | 7.64% | $125 |
| Transportation | 7.19% | $123 |
| Housing | 7.17% | $123 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.71% | $122 |
| Food | 6.38% | $120 |
| Apparel | 3.94% | $112 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1975: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1975 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $100 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $106 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $113 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $121 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1975 to 1978: $100 is worth $121 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1975-to-1978/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1975 to 1978. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1975-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.