Dallas, Texas prices: $38,000 in 1978 $135,984.27 in 2016

Inflation in Texas

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Prices in Dallas, 1978-2016 ($38,000)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas were 257.85% higher in 2016 versus 1978 (a $97,984.27 difference in value).

Between 1978 and 2016: Dallas experienced an average inflation rate of 3.41% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $38,000 in Dallas in the year 1978 would cost $135,984.27 in 2016 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.49% during this same period, inflation in Dallas was lower.

In the year 1978: Pricing changed by 7.82%, which is significantly above the average yearly change in Dallas during the 1978-2016 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1978 (7.63%), inflation in Dallas was higher.

Price Inflation in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas since 1963

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (16.95%), 1979 (12.42%), and 1981 (11.74%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $38,000.00 since 1978

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Dallas, over time, for $38,000 beginning in 1978. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1978$38,000.007.82%
1979$42,719.7912.42%
1980$49,958.8716.95%
1981$55,825.1911.74%
1982$59,197.946.04%
1983$61,362.473.66%
1984$64,246.794.70%
1985$66,652.963.75%
1986$67,820.051.75%
1987$69,511.572.49%
1988$71,532.132.91%
1989$73,670.952.99%
1990$77,002.574.52%
1991$80,606.684.68%
1992$82,560.412.42%
1993$84,627.252.50%
1994$87,017.992.83%
1995$89,285.352.61%
1996$91,727.512.74%
1997$93,362.471.78%
1998$94,683.801.42%
1999$97,357.332.82%
2000$101,449.874.20%
2001$105,028.283.53%
2002$106,457.581.36%
2003$108,699.232.11%
2004$110,149.101.33%
2005$113,706.943.23%
2006$117,254.503.12%
2007$119,015.221.50%
2008$124,460.574.58%
2009$123,639.69-0.66%
2010$124,367.400.59%
2011$128,133.683.03%
2012$130,822.422.10%
2013$133,195.681.81%
2014$134,777.071.19%
2015$134,103.55-0.50%
2016$135,984.271.40%
2017$139,449.772.55%
2018$143,553.522.94%
2019$146,567.512.10%
2020$147,476.300.62%
2021$154,899.645.03%
2022$168,570.088.83%
2023$177,450.905.27%
2024$183,231.053.26%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.


Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas:

Year19631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI29.50029.53329.85030.88331.83333.15035.24237.43338.58339.70841.76745.90850.15053.20857.12561.59269.24280.97590.48395.95099.458104.133108.033109.925112.667115.942119.408124.808130.650133.817137.167141.042144.717148.675151.325153.467157.800164.433170.233172.550176.183178.533184.300190.050192.904201.730200.399201.579207.683212.041215.888218.451217.359220.408226.025232.676237.561239.035251.066273.224287.618296.987

Adjust Dallas prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2016 / CPI in 1978 * 1978 USD value = 2016 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas was 61.592 in the year 1978 and 220.408 in 2016:

220.408 / 61.592 * $38,000 = $135,984.27

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $38,000 in 1978 has the same "purchasing power" as $135,984.27 in 2016 (in the CPI category of Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas in 1963. In addition to Dallas, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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