U.S. inflation · 1939–1953
$100 in 1939 has the same buying power as
$192
in 1953
| Cumulative price change | 92.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.77% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $192 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $92.09 |
| CPI in 1939 | 13.9 |
| CPI in 1953 | 26.7 |
| Inflation in 1939 | -1.42% |
| Inflation in 1953 | 0.75% |
| $100 in 1939 → 1953 | $192 |
| $100 in 1953 → 1939 | $52.06 |
Between 1939 and 1953, the Consumer Price Index went from 13.9 to 26.7. Cumulatively, prices increased 92.1%, which works out to an average of 4.77% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1939 bought what $0.52 buys in 1953.
| Amount in 1939 | Value in 1953 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.92 |
| $5.00 | $9.60 |
| $10.00 | $19.21 |
| $20.00 | $38.42 |
| $50.00 | $96.04 |
| $100 | $192 |
| $500 | $960 |
| $1,000 | $1,921 |
| $5,000 | $9,604 |
| $10,000 | $19,209 |
| $100,000 | $192,086 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,920,863 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1939 spending costs in 1953, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1939 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.77% | $192 |
| Food | 6.45% | $240 |
| Apparel | 5.06% | $200 |
| Transportation | 4.50% | $185 |
| Medical care | 3.77% | $168 |
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 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $173 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $187 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $191 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $192 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1939 to 1953: $100 is worth $192 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1939-to-1953/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1939 to 1953. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1939-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.