U.S. inflation · 1940–1941
$100 in 1940 has the same buying power as
$105
in 1941
| Cumulative price change | 5.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.00% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $105 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $5.00 |
| CPI in 1940 | 14 |
| CPI in 1941 | 14.7 |
| Inflation in 1940 | 0.72% |
| Inflation in 1941 | 5.00% |
| $100 in 1940 → 1941 | $105 |
| $100 in 1941 → 1940 | $95.24 |
Between 1940 and 1941, the Consumer Price Index went from 14 to 14.7. Cumulatively, prices increased 5.0%, which works out to an average of 5.00% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1940 bought what $0.95 buys in 1941.
| Amount in 1940 | Value in 1941 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.05 |
| $5.00 | $5.25 |
| $10.00 | $10.50 |
| $20.00 | $21.00 |
| $50.00 | $52.50 |
| $100 | $105 |
| $500 | $525 |
| $1,000 | $1,050 |
| $5,000 | $5,250 |
| $10,000 | $10,500 |
| $100,000 | $105,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,050,000 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1940 spending costs in 1941, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1940 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.00% | $105 |
| Food | 9.17% | $109 |
| Apparel | 4.59% | $105 |
| Transportation | 3.52% | $104 |
| Medical care | 0.00% | $100 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1940: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1940 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 14 | 0.7% | $100 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $105 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1940 to 1941: $100 is worth $105 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1940-to-1941/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1940 to 1941. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1940-to-1941/
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.