U.S. inflation · 1944–1946
$100 in 1944 has the same buying power as
$111
in 1946
| Cumulative price change | 10.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.26% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $111 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $10.80 |
| CPI in 1944 | 17.6 |
| CPI in 1946 | 19.5 |
| Inflation in 1944 | 1.73% |
| Inflation in 1946 | 8.33% |
| $100 in 1944 → 1946 | $111 |
| $100 in 1946 → 1944 | $90.26 |
Between 1944 and 1946, the Consumer Price Index went from 17.6 to 19.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 10.8%, which works out to an average of 5.26% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1944 bought what $0.90 buys in 1946.
| Amount in 1944 | Value in 1946 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.11 |
| $5.00 | $5.54 |
| $10.00 | $11.08 |
| $20.00 | $22.16 |
| $50.00 | $55.40 |
| $100 | $111 |
| $500 | $554 |
| $1,000 | $1,108 |
| $5,000 | $5,540 |
| $10,000 | $11,080 |
| $100,000 | $110,795 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,107,955 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1944 spending costs in 1946, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1944 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.26% | $111 |
| Food | 8.24% | $117 |
| Apparel | 7.44% | $115 |
| Medical care | 3.81% | $108 |
| Transportation | 2.48% | $105 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1944: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1944 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | 17.6 | 1.7% | $100 |
| 1945 | 18 | 2.3% | $102 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $111 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1944 to 1946: $100 is worth $111 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1944-to-1946/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1944 to 1946. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1944-to-1946/
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.