U.S. inflation · 1976–1978
$100 in 1976 has the same buying power as
$115
in 1978
| Cumulative price change | 14.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 7.05% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $115 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $14.59 |
| CPI in 1976 | 56.9 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| Inflation in 1976 | 5.76% |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| $100 in 1976 → 1978 | $115 |
| $100 in 1978 → 1976 | $87.27 |
Between 1976 and 1978, the Consumer Price Index went from 56.9 to 65.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 14.6%, which works out to an average of 7.05% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1976 bought what $0.87 buys in 1978.
| Amount in 1976 | Value in 1978 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.15 |
| $5.00 | $5.73 |
| $10.00 | $11.46 |
| $20.00 | $22.92 |
| $50.00 | $57.29 |
| $100 | $115 |
| $500 | $573 |
| $1,000 | $1,146 |
| $5,000 | $5,729 |
| $10,000 | $11,459 |
| $100,000 | $114,587 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,145,870 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1976 spending costs in 1978, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1976 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 7.05% | $115 |
| Medical care | 9.02% | $119 |
| Food | 8.11% | $117 |
| Energy | 7.89% | $116 |
| Housing | 7.70% | $116 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 6.82% | $114 |
| Transportation | 5.82% | $112 |
| Apparel | 4.04% | $108 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1976: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1976 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $100 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $107 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $115 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1976 to 1978: $100 is worth $115 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1976-to-1978/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1976 to 1978. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1976-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.