U.S. inflation · 1942–1947
$100 in 1942 has the same buying power as
$137
in 1947
| Cumulative price change | 36.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.47% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $137 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $36.81 |
| CPI in 1942 | 16.3 |
| CPI in 1947 | 22.3 |
| Inflation in 1942 | 10.88% |
| Inflation in 1947 | 14.36% |
| $100 in 1942 → 1947 | $137 |
| $100 in 1947 → 1942 | $73.09 |
Between 1942 and 1947, the Consumer Price Index went from 16.3 to 22.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 36.8%, which works out to an average of 6.47% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1942 bought what $0.73 buys in 1947.
| Amount in 1942 | Value in 1947 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.37 |
| $5.00 | $6.84 |
| $10.00 | $13.68 |
| $20.00 | $27.36 |
| $50.00 | $68.40 |
| $100 | $137 |
| $500 | $684 |
| $1,000 | $1,368 |
| $5,000 | $6,840 |
| $10,000 | $13,681 |
| $100,000 | $136,810 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,368,098 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1942 spending costs in 1947, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1942 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.47% | $137 |
| Food | 9.37% | $156 |
| Apparel | 8.37% | $149 |
| Medical care | 4.76% | $126 |
| Transportation | 2.95% | $116 |
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 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $137 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1942 to 1947: $100 is worth $137 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1942-to-1947/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1942 to 1947. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1942-to-1947/
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.