Inflation rate history · 1974
Inflation Rate in 1974
In 1974, US consumer prices rose 11.05% — the 3rd-highest of the 66 years on record. Here's where that sits in 66 years of inflation, the story behind it, what 1974's money is worth today, and how it compares with the 2.63% of 2025.
- 1974 inflation rate 11.05% annual CPI
- vs prior year +4.87 pts from 6.18% in 1973
- vs today 2.63% in 2025
- 1960–2025 average 3.74% long-run norm
What happened to inflation in 1974
The first OPEC oil embargo sent energy prices soaring, pushing US inflation into double digits for the first time in decades.
In 1974, inflation ran at 11.05%, up from 6.18% in 1973. That made it the 3rd-highest of the 66 years on record, and above the long-run average of 3.74%. For comparison, inflation sits at about 2.63% today.
What 1974's money is worth today
A rate is abstract until it's a price tag. Using the Consumer Price Index, here's what a given sum of 1974 dollars would have to grow to in order to buy the same goods today — the cumulative effect of every year of inflation in between:
Cumulative inflation since 1974 comes to about 553% — prices have risen roughly 6.5× over that span. Put another way, $100 today had the buying power of about $15 in 1974. See the full value of a dollar in 1974. To run your own figure across any two years, use the inflation calculator.
How 1974 compared
Across the full 1960–2025 record, inflation has averaged about 3.74%, so 1974 ran above that long-run norm. Within the 1970s, inflation averaged roughly 7.09%, and 1974 sat above its own decade. Five years earlier, in 1969, the rate was 5.46%. The following year, 1975, inflation eased to 9.14%.
This is one year out of the whole story. For the complete history — every year since 1960, the all-time high and the deflation low, the decade-by-decade view, and what drives inflation over time — see historical inflation rates, 1960–today.
Inflation in 1974 — FAQ
What was the inflation rate in 1974?
Consumer price inflation averaged 1974: 11.05%, based on the annual change in the Consumer Price Index. That was up 4.87 points from 6.18% the year before.
Was inflation high or low in 1974?
Measured against the full 1960–2025 record, 1974's 11.05% was the 3rd-highest of the 66 years on record, and above the long-run average of 3.74%.
What is $100 from 1974 worth today?
Because of cumulative inflation, $100 in 1974 has the same buying power as about $653 today — prices have risen roughly 553% (about 6.5×) since then. Put another way, $100 today had the buying power of about $15 in 1974.
Why was inflation high in 1974?
The first OPEC oil embargo sent energy prices soaring, pushing US inflation into double digits for the first time in decades.
How does 1974 inflation compare with today?
In 1974, prices rose 11.05%, versus 2.63% in 2025 — a difference of 8.42 points. The long-run (1960–2025) average is 3.74%.
Data: World Bank, World Development Indicators, via APIVerve. Our tables, charts and text are licensed CC BY-NC 4.0: share and adapt them for non-commercial use as long as you credit us. For commercial use or bulk data, use the APIVerve API. See the data terms. Cite as: Digest Your Finances, “US Inflation Rate by Year”, https://digestyourfinances.com/studies/historical-inflation-rate/1974/ — based on World Bank, World Development Indicators. CC BY-NC 4.0.
