Dallas, Texas prices: $38.50 in 1970 $312.04 in 2025

Inflation in Texas

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Prices in Dallas, 1970-2025 ($38.50)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas are 710.51% higher in 2025 versus 1970 (a $273.54 difference in value).

Between 1970 and 2025: Dallas experienced an average inflation rate of 3.88% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $38.50 in Dallas in the year 1970 would cost $312.04 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.92% during this same period, inflation in Dallas was lower.

In the year 1970: Pricing changed by 6.22%, which is above the average yearly change in Dallas during the 1970-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1970 (5.83%), 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 $38.50 since 1970

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Dallas, over time, for $38.50 beginning in 1970. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1970$38.506.22%
1971$39.683.07%
1972$40.842.92%
1973$42.965.18%
1974$47.229.92%
1975$51.589.24%
1976$54.726.10%
1977$58.757.36%
1978$63.357.82%
1979$71.2112.42%
1980$83.2816.95%
1981$93.0611.74%
1982$98.686.04%
1983$102.293.66%
1984$107.104.70%
1985$111.113.75%
1986$113.061.75%
1987$115.882.49%
1988$119.252.91%
1989$122.812.99%
1990$128.364.52%
1991$134.374.68%
1992$137.632.42%
1993$141.082.50%
1994$145.062.83%
1995$148.842.61%
1996$152.912.74%
1997$155.641.78%
1998$157.841.42%
1999$162.302.82%
2000$169.124.20%
2001$175.083.53%
2002$177.471.36%
2003$181.202.11%
2004$183.621.33%
2005$189.553.23%
2006$195.473.12%
2007$198.401.50%
2008$207.484.58%
2009$206.11-0.66%
2010$207.320.59%
2011$213.603.03%
2012$218.082.10%
2013$222.041.81%
2014$224.681.19%
2015$223.55-0.50%
2016$226.691.40%
2017$232.472.55%
2018$239.312.94%
2019$244.332.10%
2020$245.850.62%
2021$258.225.03%
2022$281.018.83%
2023$295.815.27%
2024$307.513.95%
2025$312.041.48%*

* 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:

Year196319641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
CPI29.50029.53329.85030.88331.83333.15035.24237.43338.58339.70841.76745.90850.15053.20857.12561.59269.24280.97590.48395.95099.458104.133108.033109.925112.667115.942119.408124.808130.650133.817137.167141.042144.717148.675151.325153.467157.800164.433170.233172.550176.183178.533184.300190.050192.904201.730200.399201.579207.683212.041215.888218.451217.359220.408226.025232.676237.561239.035251.066273.224287.618298.987303.400

Adjust Dallas prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2025 / CPI in 1970 * 1970 USD value = 2025 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas was 37.433 in the year 1970 and 303.400 in 2025:

303.400 / 37.433 * $38.50 = $312.04

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $38.50 in 1970 has the same "purchasing power" as $312.04 in 2025 (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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