U.S. inflation · 1942–1945
$100 in 1942 has the same buying power as
$110
in 1945
| Cumulative price change | 10.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.36% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $110 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $10.43 |
| CPI in 1942 | 16.3 |
| CPI in 1945 | 18 |
| Inflation in 1942 | 10.88% |
| Inflation in 1945 | 2.27% |
| $100 in 1942 → 1945 | $110 |
| $100 in 1945 → 1942 | $90.56 |
Between 1942 and 1945, the Consumer Price Index went from 16.3 to 18. Cumulatively, prices increased 10.4%, which works out to an average of 3.36% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1942 bought what $0.91 buys in 1945.
| Amount in 1942 | Value in 1945 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.10 |
| $5.00 | $5.52 |
| $10.00 | $11.04 |
| $20.00 | $22.09 |
| $50.00 | $55.21 |
| $100 | $110 |
| $500 | $552 |
| $1,000 | $1,104 |
| $5,000 | $5,521 |
| $10,000 | $11,043 |
| $100,000 | $110,429 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,104,294 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1942 spending costs in 1945, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1942 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.36% | $110 |
| Apparel | 5.55% | $118 |
| Food | 3.95% | $112 |
| Medical care | 3.61% | $111 |
| Transportation | -0.21% | $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 |
| 1945 | 18 | 2.3% | $110 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1942 to 1945: $100 is worth $110 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1942-to-1945/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1942 to 1945. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1942-to-1945/
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.