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The 1970sWhat things cost in the 1970s
Gas, homes, wages and stamps year by year from 1970 to 1979, with what a dollar from each year is worth in 2025.
70s
112%Rise in average prices (CPI-U) from 1970 to 1980
$0.36 → $0.86Average gallon of regular gas, 1970 to 1979
$1.60 → $2.90Federal minimum wage, 1970 to 1979
Prices in the 1970s, year by year
| Year | $1 then in 2025 | Gas / gal | Median home | Min. wage | Stamp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | $8.30 | $0.36 | $23,900 | $1.60 | 6¢ |
| 1971 | $7.95 | $0.36 | $24,300 | $1.60 | 8¢ |
| 1972 | $7.70 | $0.36 | $26,200 | $1.60 | 8¢ |
| 1973 | $7.25 | $0.39 | $30,200 | $1.60 | 8¢ |
| 1974 | $6.53 | $0.53 | $35,200 | $2.00 | 10¢ |
| 1975 | $5.98 | $0.57 | $38,100 | $2.10 | 13¢ |
| 1976 | $5.66 | $0.59 | $42,800 | $2.30 | 13¢ |
| 1977 | $5.31 | $0.62 | $46,300 | $2.30 | 13¢ |
| 1978 | $4.94 | $0.63 | $53,000 | $2.65 | 15¢ |
| 1979 | $4.43 | $0.86 | $60,600 | $2.90 | 15¢ |
The median sales price of a house sold in the U.S. went from $23,900 in 1970 to $60,600 in 1979.
Taken together, $1 in 1970 buys about as much as $8.30 did in 2025, so a $0.36 gallon of gas in 1970 is roughly $2.96 in 2025 money.
Things from the 1970s that are mostly gone
Sources: BLS CPI-U; EIA gasoline prices; Census/HUD median sales price (first quarter); U.S. Department of Labor; USPS. See Sources.