U.S. inflation · 1942–1973
$100 in 1942 has the same buying power as
$272
in 1973
| Cumulative price change | 172.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.29% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $272 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $172 |
| CPI in 1942 | 16.3 |
| CPI in 1973 | 44.4 |
| Inflation in 1942 | 10.88% |
| Inflation in 1973 | 6.22% |
| $100 in 1942 → 1973 | $272 |
| $100 in 1973 → 1942 | $36.71 |
Between 1942 and 1973, the Consumer Price Index went from 16.3 to 44.4. Cumulatively, prices increased 172.4%, which works out to an average of 3.29% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1942 bought what $0.37 buys in 1973.
| Amount in 1942 | Value in 1973 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.72 |
| $5.00 | $13.62 |
| $10.00 | $27.24 |
| $20.00 | $54.48 |
| $50.00 | $136 |
| $100 | $272 |
| $500 | $1,362 |
| $1,000 | $2,724 |
| $5,000 | $13,620 |
| $10,000 | $27,239 |
| $100,000 | $272,393 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,723,926 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1942 spending costs in 1973, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1942 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.29% | $272 |
| Medical care | 4.24% | $363 |
| Food | 3.75% | $313 |
| Transportation | 3.10% | $258 |
| Apparel | 2.89% | $242 |
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 |
| 1944 | 17.6 | 1.7% | $108 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $120 |
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $148 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $148 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $163 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $165 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $167 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $177 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $182 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $185 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $190 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $199 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $213 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $238 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $256 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $272 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1942 to 1973: $100 is worth $272 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1942-to-1973/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1942 to 1973. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1942-to-1973/
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.