U.S. inflation · 1942–1944
$100 in 1942 has the same buying power as
$108
in 1944
| Cumulative price change | 8.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.91% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $108 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $7.98 |
| CPI in 1942 | 16.3 |
| CPI in 1944 | 17.6 |
| Inflation in 1942 | 10.88% |
| Inflation in 1944 | 1.73% |
| $100 in 1942 → 1944 | $108 |
| $100 in 1944 → 1942 | $92.61 |
Between 1942 and 1944, the Consumer Price Index went from 16.3 to 17.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 8.0%, which works out to an average of 3.91% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1942 bought what $0.93 buys in 1944.
| Amount in 1942 | Value in 1944 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.08 |
| $5.00 | $5.40 |
| $10.00 | $10.80 |
| $20.00 | $21.60 |
| $50.00 | $53.99 |
| $100 | $108 |
| $500 | $540 |
| $1,000 | $1,080 |
| $5,000 | $5,399 |
| $10,000 | $10,798 |
| $100,000 | $107,975 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,079,755 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1942 spending costs in 1944, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1942 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.91% | $108 |
| Apparel | 5.65% | $112 |
| Food | 4.76% | $110 |
| Medical care | 4.12% | $108 |
| Transportation | -0.31% | $99.38 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1942: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1942 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | 16.3 | 10.9% | $100 |
| 1943 | 17.3 | 6.1% | $106 |
| 1944 | 17.6 | 1.7% | $108 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1942 to 1944: $100 is worth $108 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1942-to-1944/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1942 to 1944. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1942-to-1944/
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.