U.S. inflation · 1941–1956
$100 in 1941 has the same buying power as
$185
in 1956
| Cumulative price change | 85.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.19% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $185 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $85.03 |
| CPI in 1941 | 14.7 |
| CPI in 1956 | 27.2 |
| Inflation in 1941 | 5.00% |
| Inflation in 1956 | 1.49% |
| $100 in 1941 → 1956 | $185 |
| $100 in 1956 → 1941 | $54.04 |
Between 1941 and 1956, the Consumer Price Index went from 14.7 to 27.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 85.0%, which works out to an average of 4.19% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1941 bought what $0.54 buys in 1956.
| Amount in 1941 | Value in 1956 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.85 |
| $5.00 | $9.25 |
| $10.00 | $18.50 |
| $20.00 | $37.01 |
| $50.00 | $92.52 |
| $100 | $185 |
| $500 | $925 |
| $1,000 | $1,850 |
| $5,000 | $9,252 |
| $10,000 | $18,503 |
| $100,000 | $185,034 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,850,340 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1941 spending costs in 1956, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1941 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.19% | $185 |
| Food | 5.19% | $214 |
| Apparel | 4.43% | $192 |
| Medical care | 4.06% | $182 |
| Transportation | 3.93% | $178 |
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 |
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $164 |
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $162 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $164 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $177 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $180 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $182 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $183 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $182 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $185 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1941 to 1956: $100 is worth $185 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1941-to-1956/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1941 to 1956. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1941-to-1956/
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.