U.S. inflation · 1942–1946
$100 in 1942 has the same buying power as
$120
in 1946
| Cumulative price change | 19.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.58% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $120 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $19.63 |
| CPI in 1942 | 16.3 |
| CPI in 1946 | 19.5 |
| Inflation in 1942 | 10.88% |
| Inflation in 1946 | 8.33% |
| $100 in 1942 → 1946 | $120 |
| $100 in 1946 → 1942 | $83.59 |
Between 1942 and 1946, the Consumer Price Index went from 16.3 to 19.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 19.6%, which works out to an average of 4.58% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1942 bought what $0.84 buys in 1946.
| Amount in 1942 | Value in 1946 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.20 |
| $5.00 | $5.98 |
| $10.00 | $11.96 |
| $20.00 | $23.93 |
| $50.00 | $59.82 |
| $100 | $120 |
| $500 | $598 |
| $1,000 | $1,196 |
| $5,000 | $5,982 |
| $10,000 | $11,963 |
| $100,000 | $119,632 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,196,319 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1942 spending costs in 1946, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1942 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.58% | $120 |
| Apparel | 6.54% | $129 |
| Food | 6.48% | $129 |
| Medical care | 3.96% | $117 |
| Transportation | 1.08% | $104 |
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 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $120 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1942 to 1946: $100 is worth $120 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1942-to-1946/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1942 to 1946. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1942-to-1946/
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.