Dallas, Texas prices: $38,500 in 1978 $189,650.39 in 2025

Inflation in Texas

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Prices in Dallas, 1978-2025 ($38,500)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas are 392.60% higher in 2025 versus 1978 (a $151,150.39 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, $38,500 in Dallas in the year 1978 would cost $189,650.39 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
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Buying power of $38,500.00 since 1978

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Dallas, over time, for $38,500 beginning in 1978. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1978$38,500.007.82%
1979$43,281.9012.42%
1980$50,616.2216.95%
1981$56,559.7311.74%
1982$59,976.866.04%
1983$62,169.873.66%
1984$65,092.144.70%
1985$67,529.973.75%
1986$68,712.421.75%
1987$70,426.192.49%
1988$72,473.352.91%
1989$74,640.312.99%
1990$78,015.764.52%
1991$81,667.304.68%
1992$83,646.732.42%
1993$85,740.772.50%
1994$88,162.972.83%
1995$90,460.152.61%
1996$92,934.452.74%
1997$94,590.921.78%
1998$95,929.641.42%
1999$98,638.342.82%
2000$102,784.744.20%
2001$106,410.233.53%
2002$107,858.341.36%
2003$110,129.482.11%
2004$111,598.431.33%
2005$115,203.083.23%
2006$118,797.323.12%
2007$120,581.211.50%
2008$126,098.204.58%
2009$125,266.53-0.66%
2010$126,003.820.59%
2011$129,819.653.03%
2012$132,543.762.10%
2013$134,948.261.81%
2014$136,550.451.19%
2015$135,868.07-0.50%
2016$137,773.531.40%
2017$141,284.632.55%
2018$145,442.382.94%
2019$148,496.032.10%
2020$149,416.780.62%
2021$156,937.795.03%
2022$170,788.108.83%
2023$179,785.785.27%
2024$186,892.263.95%
2025$189,650.391.48%*

* 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 * $38,500 = $189,650.39

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $38,500 in 1978 has the same "purchasing power" as $189,650.39 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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