The biggest price increases, after inflation
Some prices rose far faster than inflation. These are the 20 items in our data that went up the most in real terms, led by public college tuition: $433 in 1975, about $2,590 in today's money, but $11,950 in 2025.
Each row compares the oldest price we have, turned into today's money with the consumer price index (CPI), with the latest price. The bigger the gap between "in today's money" and "latest", the more the item outpaced inflation.
| Item | Then | In today's money | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public college tuition | $433 (1975) | $2,590 | $11,950 (2025) |
| Medicare Part B premium | $15.50 (1985) | $46.37 | $185 (2025) |
| Medicare hospital deductible | $52.00 (1970) | $431 | $1,676 (2025) |
| Private college tuition | $2,272 (1975) | $13,600 | $45,000 (2025) |
| Palladium | $153.35 (1995) | $316 | $994.90 (2024) |
| Community college tuition | $245 (1975) | $1,470 | $4,150 (2025) |
| Private college, full year | $3,663 (1975) | $21,900 | $60,920 (2025) |
| Public college, full year | $1,666 (1975) | $9,970 | $25,850 (2025) |
| Gold | $384.93 (1990) | $924 | $2,388 (2024) |
| Silver | $4.82 (1990) | $11.57 | $28.37 (2024) |
| Crude oil (barrel) | $3.18 (1970) | $26.38 | $63.41 (2025) |
| Family health insurance | $6,438 (2000) | $12,000 | $26,993 (2025) |
| New house | $39,300 (1975) | $235,000 | $417,400 (2025) |
| Lean ground beef | $2.10 (1995) | $4.44 | $7.76 (2025) |
| Rent | $108 (1970) | $873 | $1,487 (2024) |
| Ground beef | $1.24 (1985) | $3.71 | $6.09 (2025) |
| Postcard postage | $0.05 (1970) | $0.41 | $0.65 (2026) |
| Postage stamp | $0.06 (1969) | $0.53 | $0.82 (2026) |
| Beef for stew | $2.50 (1995) | $5.28 | $8.14 (2025) |
| Copper | $1.23 (1990) | $2.95 | $4.32 (2024) |
How to read this
Only items with at least 15 years of history are included, so short-term jumps don't dominate. Each item's page shows every year we have and a chart. Prices are US averages from the source named on each page.
Want the other side? See things that got cheaper, or learn how inflation is measured.