U.S. inflation · 1938–1960
$100 in 1938 has the same buying power as
$210
in 1960
| Cumulative price change | 109.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.43% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $210 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $110 |
| CPI in 1938 | 14.1 |
| CPI in 1960 | 29.6 |
| Inflation in 1938 | -2.08% |
| Inflation in 1960 | 1.72% |
| $100 in 1938 → 1960 | $210 |
| $100 in 1960 → 1938 | $47.64 |
Between 1938 and 1960, the Consumer Price Index went from 14.1 to 29.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 109.9%, which works out to an average of 3.43% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1938 bought what $0.48 buys in 1960.
| Amount in 1938 | Value in 1960 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.10 |
| $5.00 | $10.50 |
| $10.00 | $20.99 |
| $20.00 | $41.99 |
| $50.00 | $105 |
| $100 | $210 |
| $500 | $1,050 |
| $1,000 | $2,099 |
| $5,000 | $10,496 |
| $10,000 | $20,993 |
| $100,000 | $209,929 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,099,291 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1938 spending costs in 1960, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1938 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.43% | $210 |
| Food | 4.21% | $248 |
| Medical care | 3.57% | $217 |
| Apparel | 3.40% | $209 |
| Transportation | 3.30% | $204 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1938: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1938 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | 14.1 | -2.1% | $100 |
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $98.58 |
| 1940 | 14 | 0.7% | $99.29 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $104 |
| 1942 | 16.3 | 10.9% | $116 |
| 1943 | 17.3 | 6.1% | $123 |
| 1944 | 17.6 | 1.7% | $125 |
| 1945 | 18 | 2.3% | $128 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $138 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $158 |
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $171 |
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $169 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $171 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $184 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $188 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $189 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $191 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $190 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $193 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $199 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $205 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $206 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $210 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1938 to 1960: $100 is worth $210 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1938-to-1960/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1938 to 1960. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1938-to-1960/
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.