U.S. inflation · 1940–2002
$100 in 1940 has the same buying power as
$1,285
in 2002
| Cumulative price change | 1185.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.20% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,285 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $1,185 |
| CPI in 1940 | 14 |
| CPI in 2002 | 179.9 |
| Inflation in 1940 | 0.72% |
| Inflation in 2002 | 1.58% |
| $100 in 1940 → 2002 | $1,285 |
| $100 in 2002 → 1940 | $7.78 |
Between 1940 and 2002, the Consumer Price Index went from 14 to 179.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 1185.0%, which works out to an average of 4.20% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1940 bought what $0.08 buys in 2002.
| Amount in 1940 | Value in 2002 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $12.85 |
| $5.00 | $64.25 |
| $10.00 | $129 |
| $20.00 | $257 |
| $50.00 | $643 |
| $100 | $1,285 |
| $500 | $6,425 |
| $1,000 | $12,850 |
| $5,000 | $64,250 |
| $10,000 | $128,500 |
| $100,000 | $1,285,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $12,850,000 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1940 spending costs in 2002, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1940 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.20% | $1,285 |
| Medical care | 5.49% | $2,746 |
| Food | 4.43% | $1,468 |
| Transportation | 3.91% | $1,077 |
| Apparel | 2.84% | $569 |
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 |
| 1945 | 18 | 2.3% | $129 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $172 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $191 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $211 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $225 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $277 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $384 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $589 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $769 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $934 |
| 1995 | 152.4 | 2.8% | $1,089 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | 3.4% | $1,230 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $1,285 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1940 to 2002: $100 is worth $1,285 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1940-to-2002/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1940 to 2002. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1940-to-2002/
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.