1978 dollars in today's money
| In 1978 | In September 2026 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $5.17 |
| $5.00 | $25.83 |
| $10.00 | $51.65 |
| $20.00 | $103.30 |
| $50.00 | $258.26 |
| $100.00 | $516.52 |
| $1,000 | $5,165 |
| $10,000 | $51,652 |
Inflation in 1978
Prices rose 7.6% in 1978 compared with 1977. That is above the long-run average of 3.2% a year since 1913.
In the 1970s, the highest yearly rate was 11.3% in 1979 and the lowest was 3.3% in 1972.
The average Consumer Price Index in 1978 was 65.233 (1982–84 = 100). Today's index is 336.940, which is where the multiplier of 5.17× comes from.
Buying power: today's money in 1978
Going the other way, $100 today would have bought what $19.36 bought in 1978.
1978 compared with nearby years
| Year | $1 is worth today | Inflation that year |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | $7.59 | 6.2% |
| 1974 | $6.83 | 11.1% |
| 1975 | $6.26 | 9.1% |
| 1976 | $5.92 | 5.7% |
| 1977 | $5.56 | 6.5% |
| 1979 | $4.64 | 11.3% |
| 1980 | $4.09 | 13.5% |
| 1981 | $3.71 | 10.3% |
| 1982 | $3.49 | 6.1% |
| 1983 | $3.38 | 3.2% |
How this is calculated
Value today = amount × (CPI in September 2026 ÷ average CPI in 1978). The data is the CPI-U, all items, not seasonally adjusted, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Use the calculator above to convert between any two years.