U.S. inflation · 1935–1954
$100 in 1935 has the same buying power as
$196
in 1954
| Cumulative price change | 96.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.62% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $196 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $96.35 |
| CPI in 1935 | 13.7 |
| CPI in 1954 | 26.9 |
| Inflation in 1935 | 2.24% |
| Inflation in 1954 | 0.75% |
| $100 in 1935 → 1954 | $196 |
| $100 in 1954 → 1935 | $50.93 |
Between 1935 and 1954, the Consumer Price Index went from 13.7 to 26.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 96.4%, which works out to an average of 3.62% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1935 bought what $0.51 buys in 1954.
| Amount in 1935 | Value in 1954 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.96 |
| $5.00 | $9.82 |
| $10.00 | $19.64 |
| $20.00 | $39.27 |
| $50.00 | $98.18 |
| $100 | $196 |
| $500 | $982 |
| $1,000 | $1,964 |
| $5,000 | $9,818 |
| $10,000 | $19,635 |
| $100,000 | $196,350 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,963,504 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1935 spending costs in 1954, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1935 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.62% | $196 |
| Food | 4.42% | $227 |
| Apparel | 3.91% | $207 |
| Transportation | 3.26% | $184 |
| Medical care | 2.97% | $175 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1935: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1935 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1935 | 13.7 | 2.2% | $100 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $101 |
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $105 |
| 1938 | 14.1 | -2.1% | $103 |
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $101 |
| 1940 | 14 | 0.7% | $102 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $107 |
| 1942 | 16.3 | 10.9% | $119 |
| 1943 | 17.3 | 6.1% | $126 |
| 1944 | 17.6 | 1.7% | $128 |
| 1945 | 18 | 2.3% | $131 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $142 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $163 |
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $176 |
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $174 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $176 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $190 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $193 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $195 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $196 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1935 to 1954: $100 is worth $196 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1935-to-1954/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1935 to 1954. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1935-to-1954/
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U annual averages (series CUUR0000SA0; category indexes listed on the data sources page). See how these numbers are calculated.