U.S. inflation · 1941–1947
$100 in 1941 has the same buying power as
$152
in 1947
| Cumulative price change | 51.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 7.19% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $152 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $51.70 |
| CPI in 1941 | 14.7 |
| CPI in 1947 | 22.3 |
| Inflation in 1941 | 5.00% |
| Inflation in 1947 | 14.36% |
| $100 in 1941 → 1947 | $152 |
| $100 in 1947 → 1941 | $65.92 |
Between 1941 and 1947, the Consumer Price Index went from 14.7 to 22.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 51.7%, which works out to an average of 7.19% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1941 bought what $0.66 buys in 1947.
| Amount in 1941 | Value in 1947 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.52 |
| $5.00 | $7.59 |
| $10.00 | $15.17 |
| $20.00 | $30.34 |
| $50.00 | $75.85 |
| $100 | $152 |
| $500 | $759 |
| $1,000 | $1,517 |
| $5,000 | $7,585 |
| $10,000 | $15,170 |
| $100,000 | $151,701 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,517,007 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1941 spending costs in 1947, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1941 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 7.19% | $152 |
| Food | 10.69% | $184 |
| Apparel | 9.78% | $175 |
| Medical care | 4.44% | $130 |
| Transportation | 3.91% | $126 |
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 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $133 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $152 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1941 to 1947: $100 is worth $152 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1941-to-1947/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1941 to 1947. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1941-to-1947/
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.