U.S. inflation · 1939–1956
$100 in 1939 has the same buying power as
$196
in 1956
| Cumulative price change | 95.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.03% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $196 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $95.68 |
| CPI in 1939 | 13.9 |
| CPI in 1956 | 27.2 |
| Inflation in 1939 | -1.42% |
| Inflation in 1956 | 1.49% |
| $100 in 1939 → 1956 | $196 |
| $100 in 1956 → 1939 | $51.10 |
Between 1939 and 1956, the Consumer Price Index went from 13.9 to 27.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 95.7%, which works out to an average of 4.03% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1939 bought what $0.51 buys in 1956.
| Amount in 1939 | Value in 1956 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.96 |
| $5.00 | $9.78 |
| $10.00 | $19.57 |
| $20.00 | $39.14 |
| $50.00 | $97.84 |
| $100 | $196 |
| $500 | $978 |
| $1,000 | $1,957 |
| $5,000 | $9,784 |
| $10,000 | $19,568 |
| $100,000 | $195,683 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,956,835 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1939 spending costs in 1956, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1939 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.03% | $196 |
| Food | 5.21% | $237 |
| Apparel | 4.23% | $202 |
| Medical care | 3.64% | $183 |
| Transportation | 3.63% | $183 |
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 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $194 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $193 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $196 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1939 to 1956: $100 is worth $196 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1939-to-1956/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1939 to 1956. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1939-to-1956/
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.