U.S. inflation · 1942–2018
$100 in 1942 has the same buying power as
$1,541
in 2018
| Cumulative price change | 1440.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.66% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,541 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $1,441 |
| CPI in 1942 | 16.3 |
| CPI in 2018 | 251.107 |
| Inflation in 1942 | 10.88% |
| Inflation in 2018 | 2.44% |
| $100 in 1942 → 2018 | $1,541 |
| $100 in 2018 → 1942 | $6.49 |
Between 1942 and 2018, the Consumer Price Index went from 16.3 to 251.107. Cumulatively, prices increased 1440.5%, which works out to an average of 3.66% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1942 bought what $0.06 buys in 2018.
| Amount in 1942 | Value in 2018 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $15.41 |
| $5.00 | $77.03 |
| $10.00 | $154 |
| $20.00 | $308 |
| $50.00 | $770 |
| $100 | $1,541 |
| $500 | $7,703 |
| $1,000 | $15,405 |
| $5,000 | $77,027 |
| $10,000 | $154,053 |
| $100,000 | $1,540,534 |
| $1,000,000 | $15,405,337 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1942 spending costs in 2018, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1942 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.66% | $1,541 |
| Medical care | 5.15% | $4,530 |
| Food | 3.75% | $1,646 |
| Transportation | 3.45% | $1,317 |
| Apparel | 2.06% | $471 |
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 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $137 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $163 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $172 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $185 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $205 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $256 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $372 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $592 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $697 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $861 |
| 1997 | 160.5 | 2.3% | $985 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $1,104 |
| 2007 | 207.342 | 2.8% | $1,272 |
| 2012 | 229.594 | 2.1% | $1,409 |
| 2017 | 245.12 | 2.1% | $1,504 |
| 2018 | 251.107 | 2.4% | $1,541 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1942 to 2018: $100 is worth $1,541 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1942-to-2018/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1942 to 2018. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1942-to-2018/
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.