U.S. inflation · 1937–1953
$100 in 1937 has the same buying power as
$185
in 1953
| Cumulative price change | 85.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.93% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $185 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $85.42 |
| CPI in 1937 | 14.4 |
| CPI in 1953 | 26.7 |
| Inflation in 1937 | 3.60% |
| Inflation in 1953 | 0.75% |
| $100 in 1937 → 1953 | $185 |
| $100 in 1953 → 1937 | $53.93 |
Between 1937 and 1953, the Consumer Price Index went from 14.4 to 26.7. Cumulatively, prices increased 85.4%, which works out to an average of 3.93% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1937 bought what $0.54 buys in 1953.
| Amount in 1937 | Value in 1953 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.85 |
| $5.00 | $9.27 |
| $10.00 | $18.54 |
| $20.00 | $37.08 |
| $50.00 | $92.71 |
| $100 | $185 |
| $500 | $927 |
| $1,000 | $1,854 |
| $5,000 | $9,271 |
| $10,000 | $18,542 |
| $100,000 | $185,417 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,854,167 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1937 spending costs in 1953, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1937 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.93% | $185 |
| Food | 4.93% | $216 |
| Apparel | 4.29% | $196 |
| Transportation | 3.84% | $183 |
| Medical care | 3.29% | $168 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1937: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1937 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $100 |
| 1938 | 14.1 | -2.1% | $97.92 |
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $96.53 |
| 1940 | 14 | 0.7% | $97.22 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $102 |
| 1942 | 16.3 | 10.9% | $113 |
| 1943 | 17.3 | 6.1% | $120 |
| 1944 | 17.6 | 1.7% | $122 |
| 1945 | 18 | 2.3% | $125 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $135 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $155 |
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $167 |
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $165 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $167 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $181 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $184 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $185 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1937 to 1953: $100 is worth $185 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1937-to-1953/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1937 to 1953. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1937-to-1953/
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.