What happened to prices after 1960
Prices barely moved in the early 1960s, rising between 0.7% and 1.9% a year through 1965. Then Vietnam War spending and new federal programs hit an economy already at full employment, and inflation climbed to 6.2% by 1969.
Two things stand out since. Prices have gone up in every one of the 65 years since 1960. And despite the 1970s, about half of the increase in prices since 1960 has come since 2002: a $100 basket from 1960 cost $607 in 2002 and $1,088 now.
What amounts from 1960 are worth today
| In 1960 | In 2025 | 2025 amount in 1960 |
|---|---|---|
| $1 | $10.88 | $0.09 |
| $5 | $54.38 | $0.46 |
| $10 | $108.76 | $0.92 |
| $20 | $217.52 | $1.84 |
| $50 | $543.79 | $4.60 |
| $100 | $1,087.58 | $9.19 |
| $500 | $5,437.92 | $45.97 |
| $1,000 | $10,875.84 | $91.95 |
| $5,000 | $54,379.19 | $459.73 |
| $10,000 | $108,758.39 | $919.47 |
Read across: $1,000 in 1960 buys what $10,876 did in 2025, and $1,000 in 2025 would have bought what $91.95 did in 1960.
Inflation by decade since 1960
| Decade | Average a year | Prices over the decade |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s (1961–1969) | 2.65% | +26.5% |
| 1970s | 7.36% | +103.4% |
| 1980s | 5.10% | +64.4% |
| 1990s | 2.93% | +33.5% |
| 2000s | 2.52% | +28.3% |
| 2010s | 1.76% | +19.0% |
| 2020s (2020–2025) | 3.94% | +26.1% |
Every year since 1960: CPI, inflation and the cost of $100 of 1960 goods
| Year | CPI (Dec.) | Inflation | Cost of $100 of 1960 goods |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 29.8 | — | $100.00 |
| 1961 | 30.0 | +0.7% | $100.67 |
| 1962 | 30.4 | +1.3% | $102.01 |
| 1963 | 30.9 | +1.6% | $103.69 |
| 1964 | 31.2 | +1.0% | $104.70 |
| 1965 | 31.8 | +1.9% | $106.71 |
| 1966 | 32.9 | +3.5% | $110.40 |
| 1967 | 33.9 | +3.0% | $113.76 |
| 1968 | 35.5 | +4.7% | $119.13 |
| 1969 | 37.7 | +6.2% | $126.51 |
| 1970 | 39.8 | +5.6% | $133.56 |
| 1971 | 41.1 | +3.3% | $137.92 |
| 1972 | 42.5 | +3.4% | $142.62 |
| 1973 | 46.2 | +8.7% | $155.03 |
| 1974 | 51.9 | +12.3% | $174.16 |
| 1975 | 55.5 | +6.9% | $186.24 |
| 1976 | 58.2 | +4.9% | $195.30 |
| 1977 | 62.1 | +6.7% | $208.39 |
| 1978 | 67.7 | +9.0% | $227.18 |
| 1979 | 76.7 | +13.3% | $257.38 |
| 1980 | 86.3 | +12.5% | $289.60 |
| 1981 | 94.0 | +8.9% | $315.44 |
| 1982 | 97.6 | +3.8% | $327.52 |
| 1983 | 101.3 | +3.8% | $339.93 |
| 1984 | 105.3 | +3.9% | $353.36 |
| 1985 | 109.3 | +3.8% | $366.78 |
| 1986 | 110.5 | +1.1% | $370.81 |
| 1987 | 115.4 | +4.4% | $387.25 |
| 1988 | 120.5 | +4.4% | $404.36 |
| 1989 | 126.1 | +4.6% | $423.15 |
| 1990 | 133.8 | +6.1% | $448.99 |
| 1991 | 137.9 | +3.1% | $462.75 |
| 1992 | 141.9 | +2.9% | $476.17 |
| 1993 | 145.8 | +2.7% | $489.26 |
| 1994 | 149.7 | +2.7% | $502.35 |
| 1995 | 153.5 | +2.5% | $515.10 |
| 1996 | 158.6 | +3.3% | $532.21 |
| 1997 | 161.3 | +1.7% | $541.28 |
| 1998 | 163.9 | +1.6% | $550.00 |
| 1999 | 168.3 | +2.7% | $564.77 |
| 2000 | 174.0 | +3.4% | $583.89 |
| 2001 | 176.7 | +1.6% | $592.95 |
| 2002 | 180.9 | +2.4% | $607.05 |
| 2003 | 184.3 | +1.9% | $618.46 |
| 2004 | 190.3 | +3.3% | $638.59 |
| 2005 | 196.8 | +3.4% | $660.40 |
| 2006 | 201.8 | +2.5% | $677.18 |
| 2007 | 210.0 | +4.1% | $704.70 |
| 2008 | 210.2 | +0.1% | $705.37 |
| 2009 | 215.9 | +2.7% | $724.50 |
| 2010 | 219.2 | +1.5% | $735.57 |
| 2011 | 225.7 | +3.0% | $757.38 |
| 2012 | 229.6 | +1.7% | $770.47 |
| 2013 | 233.0 | +1.5% | $781.88 |
| 2014 | 234.8 | +0.8% | $787.92 |
| 2015 | 236.5 | +0.7% | $793.62 |
| 2016 | 241.4 | +2.1% | $810.07 |
| 2017 | 246.5 | +2.1% | $827.18 |
| 2018 | 251.2 | +1.9% | $842.95 |
| 2019 | 257.0 | +2.3% | $862.42 |
| 2020 | 260.5 | +1.4% | $874.16 |
| 2021 | 278.8 | +7.0% | $935.57 |
| 2022 | 296.8 | +6.5% | $995.97 |
| 2023 | 306.7 | +3.3% | $1,029.19 |
| 2024 | 315.6 | +2.9% | $1,059.06 |
| 2025 | 324.1 | +2.7% | $1,087.58 |
How this is calculated
We divide the consumer price index for December 2025 (324.1) by the index for December 1960 (29.8), which gives 10.8758, and multiply. Each year’s inflation runs December to December. December figures follow prices to the end of each year, so they can differ slightly from tables that use yearly averages. The index measures an average urban household’s spending; your own costs can rise faster or slower.
Every figure here comes from the same data as the inflation calculator. The method is on the methodology page.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. city average, all items, December values.