U.S. inflation · 1941–1945
$100 in 1941 has the same buying power as
$122
in 1945
| Cumulative price change | 22.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.19% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $122 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $22.45 |
| CPI in 1941 | 14.7 |
| CPI in 1945 | 18 |
| Inflation in 1941 | 5.00% |
| Inflation in 1945 | 2.27% |
| $100 in 1941 → 1945 | $122 |
| $100 in 1945 → 1941 | $81.67 |
Between 1941 and 1945, the Consumer Price Index went from 14.7 to 18. Cumulatively, prices increased 22.4%, which works out to an average of 5.19% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1941 bought what $0.82 buys in 1945.
| Amount in 1941 | Value in 1945 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.22 |
| $5.00 | $6.12 |
| $10.00 | $12.24 |
| $20.00 | $24.49 |
| $50.00 | $61.22 |
| $100 | $122 |
| $500 | $612 |
| $1,000 | $1,224 |
| $5,000 | $6,122 |
| $10,000 | $12,245 |
| $100,000 | $122,449 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,224,490 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1941 spending costs in 1945, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1941 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.19% | $122 |
| Apparel | 8.33% | $138 |
| Food | 7.20% | $132 |
| Medical care | 3.43% | $114 |
| Transportation | 1.98% | $108 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1941: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1941 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $100 |
| 1942 | 16.3 | 10.9% | $111 |
| 1943 | 17.3 | 6.1% | $118 |
| 1944 | 17.6 | 1.7% | $120 |
| 1945 | 18 | 2.3% | $122 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1941 to 1945: $100 is worth $122 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1941-to-1945/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1941 to 1945. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1941-to-1945/
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.