U.S. inflation · 1941–1978
$100 in 1941 has the same buying power as
$444
in 1978
| Cumulative price change | 343.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.11% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $444 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $344 |
| CPI in 1941 | 14.7 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| Inflation in 1941 | 5.00% |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| $100 in 1941 → 1978 | $444 |
| $100 in 1978 → 1941 | $22.55 |
Between 1941 and 1978, the Consumer Price Index went from 14.7 to 65.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 343.5%, which works out to an average of 4.11% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1941 bought what $0.23 buys in 1978.
| Amount in 1941 | Value in 1978 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $4.44 |
| $5.00 | $22.18 |
| $10.00 | $44.35 |
| $20.00 | $88.71 |
| $50.00 | $222 |
| $100 | $444 |
| $500 | $2,218 |
| $1,000 | $4,435 |
| $5,000 | $22,177 |
| $10,000 | $44,354 |
| $100,000 | $443,537 |
| $1,000,000 | $4,435,374 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1941 spending costs in 1978, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1941 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.11% | $444 |
| Medical care | 4.93% | $594 |
| Food | 4.71% | $550 |
| Transportation | 3.95% | $420 |
| Apparel | 3.50% | $357 |
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 |
| 1943 | 17.3 | 6.1% | $118 |
| 1945 | 18 | 2.3% | $122 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $152 |
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $162 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $177 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $182 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $182 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $191 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $198 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $203 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $208 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $214 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $227 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $250 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $276 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $302 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $366 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $412 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $444 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1941 to 1978: $100 is worth $444 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1941-to-1978/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1941 to 1978. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1941-to-1978/
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.