U.S. inflation · 1941–1971
$100 in 1941 has the same buying power as
$276
in 1971
| Cumulative price change | 175.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.44% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $276 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $176 |
| CPI in 1941 | 14.7 |
| CPI in 1971 | 40.5 |
| Inflation in 1941 | 5.00% |
| Inflation in 1971 | 4.38% |
| $100 in 1941 → 1971 | $276 |
| $100 in 1971 → 1941 | $36.30 |
Between 1941 and 1971, the Consumer Price Index went from 14.7 to 40.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 175.5%, which works out to an average of 3.44% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1941 bought what $0.36 buys in 1971.
| Amount in 1941 | Value in 1971 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.76 |
| $5.00 | $13.78 |
| $10.00 | $27.55 |
| $20.00 | $55.10 |
| $50.00 | $138 |
| $100 | $276 |
| $500 | $1,378 |
| $1,000 | $2,755 |
| $5,000 | $13,776 |
| $10,000 | $27,551 |
| $100,000 | $275,510 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,755,102 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1941 spending costs in 1971, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1941 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.44% | $276 |
| Medical care | 4.24% | $347 |
| Food | 3.83% | $308 |
| Transportation | 3.35% | $269 |
| Apparel | 3.34% | $268 |
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 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $191 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $197 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $198 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $201 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $203 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $205 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $208 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $211 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $214 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $220 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $227 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $237 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $250 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $264 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $276 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1941 to 1971: $100 is worth $276 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1941-to-1971/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1941 to 1971. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1941-to-1971/
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.