U.S. inflation · 1942–2020
$100 in 1942 has the same buying power as
$1,588
in 2020
| Cumulative price change | 1487.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.61% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,588 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $1,488 |
| CPI in 1942 | 16.3 |
| CPI in 2020 | 258.811 |
| Inflation in 1942 | 10.88% |
| Inflation in 2020 | 1.23% |
| $100 in 1942 → 2020 | $1,588 |
| $100 in 2020 → 1942 | $6.30 |
Between 1942 and 2020, the Consumer Price Index went from 16.3 to 258.811. Cumulatively, prices increased 1487.8%, which works out to an average of 3.61% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1942 bought what $0.06 buys in 2020.
| Amount in 1942 | Value in 2020 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $15.88 |
| $5.00 | $79.39 |
| $10.00 | $159 |
| $20.00 | $318 |
| $50.00 | $794 |
| $100 | $1,588 |
| $500 | $7,939 |
| $1,000 | $15,878 |
| $5,000 | $79,390 |
| $10,000 | $158,780 |
| $100,000 | $1,587,798 |
| $1,000,000 | $15,877,975 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1942 spending costs in 2020, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1942 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.61% | $1,588 |
| Medical care | 5.10% | $4,849 |
| Food | 3.73% | $1,735 |
| Transportation | 3.30% | $1,258 |
| Apparel | 1.92% | $442 |
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 |
| 2020 | 258.811 | 1.2% | $1,588 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1942 to 2020: $100 is worth $1,588 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1942-to-2020/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1942 to 2020. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1942-to-2020/
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.