U.S. inflation · 1939–1961
$100 in 1939 has the same buying power as
$215
in 1961
| Cumulative price change | 115.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.54% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $215 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $115 |
| CPI in 1939 | 13.9 |
| CPI in 1961 | 29.9 |
| Inflation in 1939 | -1.42% |
| Inflation in 1961 | 1.01% |
| $100 in 1939 → 1961 | $215 |
| $100 in 1961 → 1939 | $46.49 |
Between 1939 and 1961, the Consumer Price Index went from 13.9 to 29.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 115.1%, which works out to an average of 3.54% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1939 bought what $0.46 buys in 1961.
| Amount in 1939 | Value in 1961 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.15 |
| $5.00 | $10.76 |
| $10.00 | $21.51 |
| $20.00 | $43.02 |
| $50.00 | $108 |
| $100 | $215 |
| $500 | $1,076 |
| $1,000 | $2,151 |
| $5,000 | $10,755 |
| $10,000 | $21,511 |
| $100,000 | $215,108 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,151,079 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1939 spending costs in 1961, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1939 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.54% | $215 |
| Food | 4.40% | $258 |
| Medical care | 3.70% | $222 |
| Apparel | 3.51% | $213 |
| Transportation | 3.44% | $210 |
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 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $202 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $208 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $209 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $213 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $215 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1939 to 1961: $100 is worth $215 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1939-to-1961/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1939 to 1961. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1939-to-1961/
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.