U.S. inflation · 1939–1945
$100 in 1939 has the same buying power as
$129
in 1945
| Cumulative price change | 29.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.40% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $129 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $29.50 |
| CPI in 1939 | 13.9 |
| CPI in 1945 | 18 |
| Inflation in 1939 | -1.42% |
| Inflation in 1945 | 2.27% |
| $100 in 1939 → 1945 | $129 |
| $100 in 1945 → 1939 | $77.22 |
Between 1939 and 1945, the Consumer Price Index went from 13.9 to 18. Cumulatively, prices increased 29.5%, which works out to an average of 4.40% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1939 bought what $0.77 buys in 1945.
| Amount in 1939 | Value in 1945 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.29 |
| $5.00 | $6.47 |
| $10.00 | $12.95 |
| $20.00 | $25.90 |
| $50.00 | $64.75 |
| $100 | $129 |
| $500 | $647 |
| $1,000 | $1,295 |
| $5,000 | $6,475 |
| $10,000 | $12,950 |
| $100,000 | $129,496 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,294,964 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1939 spending costs in 1945, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1939 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.40% | $129 |
| Food | 6.58% | $147 |
| Apparel | 6.43% | $145 |
| Medical care | 2.44% | $116 |
| Transportation | 1.78% | $111 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1939: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1939 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $100 |
| 1940 | 14 | 0.7% | $101 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $106 |
| 1942 | 16.3 | 10.9% | $117 |
| 1943 | 17.3 | 6.1% | $124 |
| 1944 | 17.6 | 1.7% | $127 |
| 1945 | 18 | 2.3% | $129 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1939 to 1945: $100 is worth $129 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1939-to-1945/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1939 to 1945. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1939-to-1945/
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.