Dallas, Texas prices: $3 in 1978 $14.78 in 2025

Inflation in Texas

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Prices in Dallas, 1978-2025 ($3)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas are 392.60% higher in 2025 versus 1978 (a $11.78 difference in value).

Between 1978 and 2025: Dallas experienced an average inflation rate of 3.45% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $3 in Dallas in the year 1978 would cost $14.78 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.45% during this same period, inflation in Dallas was higher.

In the year 1978: Pricing changed by 7.82%, which is significantly above the average yearly change in Dallas during the 1978-2025 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
Frankfurters · New cars · Gasoline (all types) · Housing · More

Buying power of $3.00 since 1978

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Dallas, over time, for $3 beginning in 1978. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1978$3.007.82%
1979$3.3712.42%
1980$3.9416.95%
1981$4.4111.74%
1982$4.676.04%
1983$4.843.66%
1984$5.074.70%
1985$5.263.75%
1986$5.351.75%
1987$5.492.49%
1988$5.652.91%
1989$5.822.99%
1990$6.084.52%
1991$6.364.68%
1992$6.522.42%
1993$6.682.50%
1994$6.872.83%
1995$7.052.61%
1996$7.242.74%
1997$7.371.78%
1998$7.481.42%
1999$7.692.82%
2000$8.014.20%
2001$8.293.53%
2002$8.401.36%
2003$8.582.11%
2004$8.701.33%
2005$8.983.23%
2006$9.263.12%
2007$9.401.50%
2008$9.834.58%
2009$9.76-0.66%
2010$9.820.59%
2011$10.123.03%
2012$10.332.10%
2013$10.521.81%
2014$10.641.19%
2015$10.59-0.50%
2016$10.741.40%
2017$11.012.55%
2018$11.332.94%
2019$11.572.10%
2020$11.640.62%
2021$12.235.03%
2022$13.318.83%
2023$14.015.27%
2024$14.563.95%
2025$14.781.48%*

* 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 1978 * 1978 USD value = 2025 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 303.400 in 2025:

303.400 / 61.592 * $3 = $14.78

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $3 in 1978 has the same "purchasing power" as $14.78 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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