U.S. inflation · 1940–2008
$100 in 1940 has the same buying power as
$1,538
in 2008
| Cumulative price change | 1437.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.10% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,538 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $1,438 |
| CPI in 1940 | 14 |
| CPI in 2008 | 215.303 |
| Inflation in 1940 | 0.72% |
| Inflation in 2008 | 3.84% |
| $100 in 1940 → 2008 | $1,538 |
| $100 in 2008 → 1940 | $6.50 |
Between 1940 and 2008, the Consumer Price Index went from 14 to 215.303. Cumulatively, prices increased 1437.9%, which works out to an average of 4.10% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1940 bought what $0.07 buys in 2008.
| Amount in 1940 | Value in 2008 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $15.38 |
| $5.00 | $76.89 |
| $10.00 | $154 |
| $20.00 | $308 |
| $50.00 | $769 |
| $100 | $1,538 |
| $500 | $7,689 |
| $1,000 | $15,379 |
| $5,000 | $76,894 |
| $10,000 | $153,788 |
| $100,000 | $1,537,879 |
| $1,000,000 | $15,378,786 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1940 spending costs in 2008, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1940 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.10% | $1,538 |
| Medical care | 5.37% | $3,501 |
| Food | 4.33% | $1,784 |
| Transportation | 3.93% | $1,377 |
| Apparel | 2.53% | $545 |
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 |
| 2005 | 195.3 | 3.4% | $1,395 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $1,538 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1940 to 2008: $100 is worth $1,538 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1940-to-2008/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1940 to 2008. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1940-to-2008/
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.