U.S. inflation · 1943–2021
$100 in 1943 has the same buying power as
$1,566
in 2021
| Cumulative price change | 1466.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.59% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,566 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $1,466 |
| CPI in 1943 | 17.3 |
| CPI in 2021 | 270.97 |
| Inflation in 1943 | 6.13% |
| Inflation in 2021 | 4.70% |
| $100 in 1943 → 2021 | $1,566 |
| $100 in 2021 → 1943 | $6.38 |
Between 1943 and 2021, the Consumer Price Index went from 17.3 to 270.97. Cumulatively, prices increased 1466.3%, which works out to an average of 3.59% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1943 bought what $0.06 buys in 2021.
| Amount in 1943 | Value in 2021 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $15.66 |
| $5.00 | $78.32 |
| $10.00 | $157 |
| $20.00 | $313 |
| $50.00 | $783 |
| $100 | $1,566 |
| $500 | $7,832 |
| $1,000 | $15,663 |
| $5,000 | $78,315 |
| $10,000 | $156,630 |
| $100,000 | $1,566,301 |
| $1,000,000 | $15,663,006 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1943 spending costs in 2021, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1943 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.59% | $1,566 |
| Medical care | 5.06% | $4,690 |
| Food | 3.64% | $1,624 |
| Transportation | 3.49% | $1,451 |
| Apparel | 1.90% | $435 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1943: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1943 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | 17.3 | 6.1% | $100 |
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $139 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $154 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $167 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $177 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $201 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $257 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $377 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $576 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $684 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $835 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $942 |
| 2003 | 184 | 2.3% | $1,064 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $1,245 |
| 2013 | 232.957 | 1.5% | $1,347 |
| 2018 | 251.107 | 2.4% | $1,451 |
| 2021 | 270.97 | 4.7% | $1,566 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1943 to 2021: $100 is worth $1,566 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1943-to-2021/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1943 to 2021. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1943-to-2021/
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.