U.S. inflation · 1939–1949
$100 in 1939 has the same buying power as
$171
in 1949
| Cumulative price change | 71.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.53% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $171 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $71.22 |
| CPI in 1939 | 13.9 |
| CPI in 1949 | 23.8 |
| Inflation in 1939 | -1.42% |
| Inflation in 1949 | -1.24% |
| $100 in 1939 → 1949 | $171 |
| $100 in 1949 → 1939 | $58.40 |
Between 1939 and 1949, the Consumer Price Index went from 13.9 to 23.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 71.2%, which works out to an average of 5.53% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1939 bought what $0.58 buys in 1949.
| Amount in 1939 | Value in 1949 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.71 |
| $5.00 | $8.56 |
| $10.00 | $17.12 |
| $20.00 | $34.24 |
| $50.00 | $85.61 |
| $100 | $171 |
| $500 | $856 |
| $1,000 | $1,712 |
| $5,000 | $8,561 |
| $10,000 | $17,122 |
| $100,000 | $171,223 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,712,230 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1939 spending costs in 1949, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1939 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.53% | $171 |
| Food | 7.80% | $212 |
| Apparel | 6.57% | $189 |
| Transportation | 4.45% | $155 |
| Medical care | 3.69% | $144 |
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 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $140 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $160 |
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $173 |
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $171 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1939 to 1949: $100 is worth $171 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1939-to-1949/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1939 to 1949. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1939-to-1949/
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.