How much did things cost in 1971 - USA?
Prices have risen considerably since 1971. This table gives you an idea of how prices have changed since 1971.
Many things were much cheaper: houses, cars, posting a letter and cigarettes.
These are some prices of items in 1971.
| 1971 price | Inflation adjusted | |
|---|---|---|
| Average house price (1) | $24,900 | $200,000 |
| Gallon of gas | 36c | $2.90 |
| Ford Custom V8 4-door Sedan | $3,363 | $27,000 |
| Ford Pinto 2-door Sedan | $1,919 | $15,000 |
| AM/FM digital clock radio (Sears) | $38.95 | $310 |
| Mattel Baby Tender Love doll (Sears) | $6.99 | $56 |
| Malibu Barbie doll (Sears) | $1.94 | $16 |
| Spirograph set (Sears) | $2.97 | $24 |
| 4 Hot Wheels racing cars (Sears) | $2.88 | $23 |
| GI Joe Talking Commander figure (Sears) | $4.99 | $40 |
| 20 cigarettes (average price) | 40c | $3.20 |
| Posting a letter | 8c | 64c |
| Newspaper: The New York Times | 15c | $1.20 |
| Hamburger at McDonald's | 20c | $1.60 |
| Western Iceberg Lettuce (x2) (Safeway) | 39c | $3.10 |
| Green beans medium cut 16oz (Safeway) | 27c | $2.20 |
| Baked beans oven baked with pork 16oz (Safeway) | 25c | $2 |
| Columbian Coffee Regular ground 1lb (Safeway) | 96c | $7.70 |
| Joy liquid detergent 22oz plastic container (Safeway) | 56c | $4.50 |
| Young Hen Turkeys per lb (Safeway) | 44c | $3.50 |
| 7 bone chuck roast lb (Safeway) | 64c | $5.10 |
| Colgate dental cream (Safeway) | 74c | $5.90 |
| Premium Bread 1½lb loaf (Safeway) | 36c | $2.90 |
| Fried chicken (lb) (Safeway) | $1.09 | $8.70 |
| Blueberry Turnovers (Safeway) | 15c | $1.20 |
| Old Fashioned Franks (Heineman & Stern) beef (1lb) (Safeway) | 99c | $7.90 |
Other years
References
(1) US Existing One-Family Houses Sold and Price, by Region, 1970 to 1998, Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States, 1999, Section 25 Construction and Housing, page 726. The 1971 data is missing so this is the mean of the 1970 and 1972 prices.
By Steven Braggs August 2025
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