According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Houston, Texas are 332.09% higher in 2026 versus 1978 (a $1,394,784.09 difference in value).
Between 1978 and 2026:Houston experienced an average inflation rate of 3.10% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $420,000 in Houston in the year 1978 would cost $1,814,784.09 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.40% during this same period, inflation in Houston was lower.
In the year 1978: Pricing changed by 9.44%, which is significantly above the average yearly change in Houston during the 1978-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1978 (7.63%), inflation in Houston was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Houston, over time, for $420,000 beginning in 1978. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | $420,000.00 | 9.44% |
| 1979 | $475,768.54 | 13.28% |
| 1980 | $536,419.53 | 12.75% |
| 1981 | $590,072.33 | 10.00% |
| 1982 | $632,441.23 | 7.18% |
| 1983 | $650,452.08 | 2.85% |
| 1984 | $667,432.19 | 2.61% |
| 1985 | $682,405.06 | 2.24% |
| 1986 | $676,925.86 | -0.80% |
| 1987 | $692,061.48 | 2.24% |
| 1988 | $712,079.57 | 2.89% |
| 1989 | $741,591.32 | 4.14% |
| 1990 | $782,766.73 | 5.55% |
| 1991 | $813,526.22 | 3.93% |
| 1992 | $839,728.75 | 3.22% |
| 1993 | $866,799.28 | 3.22% |
| 1994 | $897,124.77 | 3.50% |
| 1995 | $909,493.67 | 1.38% |
| 1996 | $928,372.51 | 2.08% |
| 1997 | $945,895.12 | 1.89% |
| 1998 | $955,388.79 | 1.00% |
| 1999 | $967,269.44 | 1.24% |
| 2000 | $1,002,260.40 | 3.62% |
| 2001 | $1,033,291.14 | 3.10% |
| 2002 | $1,036,003.62 | 0.26% |
| 2003 | $1,064,538.88 | 2.75% |
| 2004 | $1,101,754.07 | 3.50% |
| 2005 | $1,141,518.99 | 3.61% |
| 2006 | $1,175,370.71 | 2.97% |
| 2007 | $1,194,869.08 | 1.66% |
| 2008 | $1,236,779.02 | 3.51% |
| 2009 | $1,238,760.22 | 0.16% |
| 2010 | $1,263,089.51 | 1.96% |
| 2011 | $1,303,592.77 | 3.21% |
| 2012 | $1,328,878.48 | 1.94% |
| 2013 | $1,349,308.32 | 1.54% |
| 2014 | $1,388,361.48 | 2.89% |
| 2015 | $1,387,043.22 | -0.09% |
| 2016 | $1,407,723.69 | 1.49% |
| 2017 | $1,436,364.20 | 2.03% |
| 2018 | $1,470,878.30 | 2.40% |
| 2019 | $1,489,156.60 | 1.24% |
| 2020 | $1,490,638.16 | 0.10% |
| 2021 | $1,552,914.47 | 4.18% |
| 2022 | $1,681,356.78 | 8.27% |
| 2023 | $1,741,151.72 | 3.56% |
| 2024 | $1,784,819.35 | 2.51% |
| 2025 | $1,804,258.32 | 1.09% |
| 2026 | $1,814,784.09 | 0.58%* |
* 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 Houston, Texas:
| Year | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
| CPI | 9.500 | 9.500 | 9.617 | 11.092 | 13.425 | 16.367 | 19.133 | 17.450 | 15.908 | 15.892 | 15.842 | 16.083 | 16.167 | 15.833 | 15.633 | 15.617 | 15.508 | 14.142 | 12.708 | 11.683 | 12.225 | 12.692 | 12.833 | 13.317 | 13.308 | 13.192 | 13.225 | 13.800 | 15.242 | 16.050 | 16.200 | 16.542 | 17.850 | 20.983 | 22.733 | 22.667 | 23.350 | 25.217 | 25.525 | 25.792 | 25.833 | 25.600 | 25.992 | 26.850 | 27.317 | 27.508 | 27.825 | 27.925 | 28.483 | 28.725 | 29.167 | 29.517 | 30.300 | 31.100 | 32.350 | 34.450 | 36.275 | 37.625 | 38.925 | 40.975 | 45.550 | 51.100 | 54.975 | 58.950 | 64.517 | 73.083 | 82.400 | 90.642 | 97.150 | 99.917 | 102.525 | 104.825 | 103.983 | 106.308 | 109.383 | 113.917 | 120.242 | 124.967 | 128.992 | 133.150 | 137.808 | 139.708 | 142.608 | 145.300 | 146.758 | 148.583 | 153.958 | 158.725 | 159.142 | 163.525 | 169.242 | 175.350 | 180.550 | 183.545 | 189.983 | 190.287 | 194.025 | 200.246 | 204.130 | 207.269 | 213.268 | 213.065 | 216.242 | 220.641 | 225.943 | 228.751 | 228.979 | 238.545 | 258.275 | 267.460 | 274.168 | 277.154 | 278.771 |