U.S. inflation · 1937–1954
$100 in 1937 has the same buying power as
$187
in 1954
| Cumulative price change | 86.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.74% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $187 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $86.81 |
| CPI in 1937 | 14.4 |
| CPI in 1954 | 26.9 |
| Inflation in 1937 | 3.60% |
| Inflation in 1954 | 0.75% |
| $100 in 1937 → 1954 | $187 |
| $100 in 1954 → 1937 | $53.53 |
Between 1937 and 1954, the Consumer Price Index went from 14.4 to 26.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 86.8%, which works out to an average of 3.74% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1937 bought what $0.54 buys in 1954.
| Amount in 1937 | Value in 1954 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.87 |
| $5.00 | $9.34 |
| $10.00 | $18.68 |
| $20.00 | $37.36 |
| $50.00 | $93.40 |
| $100 | $187 |
| $500 | $934 |
| $1,000 | $1,868 |
| $5,000 | $9,340 |
| $10,000 | $18,681 |
| $100,000 | $186,806 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,868,056 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1937 spending costs in 1954, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1937 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.74% | $187 |
| Food | 4.61% | $215 |
| Apparel | 4.04% | $196 |
| Transportation | 3.52% | $180 |
| Medical care | 3.27% | $173 |
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 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $187 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1937 to 1954: $100 is worth $187 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1937-to-1954/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1937 to 1954. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1937-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.