Dallas, Texas prices: $42,000 in 1976 $239,488.46 in 2025

Inflation in Texas

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Prices in Dallas, 1976-2025 ($42,000)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas are 470.21% higher in 2025 versus 1976 (a $197,488.46 difference in value).

Between 1976 and 2025: Dallas experienced an average inflation rate of 3.62% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $42,000 in Dallas in the year 1976 would cost $239,488.46 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.59% during this same period, inflation in Dallas was higher.

In the year 1976: Pricing changed by 6.10%, which is above the average yearly change in Dallas during the 1976-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1976 (5.75%), 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 $42,000.00 since 1976

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Dallas, over time, for $42,000 beginning in 1976. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1976$42,000.006.10%
1977$45,091.627.36%
1978$48,617.387.82%
1979$54,655.9112.42%
1980$63,917.6216.95%
1981$71,423.0211.74%
1982$75,738.146.04%
1983$78,507.443.66%
1984$82,197.654.70%
1985$85,276.123.75%
1986$86,769.301.75%
1987$88,933.442.49%
1988$91,518.562.91%
1989$94,254.972.99%
1990$98,517.464.52%
1991$103,128.584.68%
1992$105,628.192.42%
1993$108,272.512.50%
1994$111,331.252.83%
1995$114,232.112.61%
1996$117,356.622.74%
1997$119,448.391.78%
1998$121,138.921.42%
1999$124,559.442.82%
2000$129,795.464.20%
2001$134,373.693.53%
2002$136,202.351.36%
2003$139,070.322.11%
2004$140,925.291.33%
2005$145,477.213.23%
2006$150,015.973.12%
2007$152,268.651.50%
2008$159,235.454.58%
2009$158,185.22-0.66%
2010$159,116.260.59%
2011$163,934.853.03%
2012$167,374.832.10%
2013$170,411.201.81%
2014$172,434.441.19%
2015$171,572.73-0.50%
2016$173,978.931.40%
2017$178,412.712.55%
2018$183,663.072.94%
2019$187,519.182.10%
2020$188,681.890.62%
2021$198,179.355.03%
2022$215,669.388.83%
2023$227,031.545.27%
2024$236,005.533.95%
2025$239,488.461.48%*

* 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 1976 * 1976 USD value = 2025 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas was 53.208 in the year 1976 and 303.400 in 2025:

303.400 / 53.208 * $42,000 = $239,488.46

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $42,000 in 1976 has the same "purchasing power" as $239,488.46 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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