U.S. inflation · 1944–1947
$100 in 1944 has the same buying power as
$127
in 1947
| Cumulative price change | 26.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 8.21% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $127 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $26.70 |
| CPI in 1944 | 17.6 |
| CPI in 1947 | 22.3 |
| Inflation in 1944 | 1.73% |
| Inflation in 1947 | 14.36% |
| $100 in 1944 → 1947 | $127 |
| $100 in 1947 → 1944 | $78.92 |
Between 1944 and 1947, the Consumer Price Index went from 17.6 to 22.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 26.7%, which works out to an average of 8.21% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1944 bought what $0.79 buys in 1947.
| Amount in 1944 | Value in 1947 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.27 |
| $5.00 | $6.34 |
| $10.00 | $12.67 |
| $20.00 | $25.34 |
| $50.00 | $63.35 |
| $100 | $127 |
| $500 | $634 |
| $1,000 | $1,267 |
| $5,000 | $6,335 |
| $10,000 | $12,670 |
| $100,000 | $126,705 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,267,045 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1944 spending costs in 1947, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1944 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 8.21% | $127 |
| Food | 12.56% | $143 |
| Apparel | 10.22% | $134 |
| Medical care | 5.19% | $116 |
| Transportation | 5.18% | $116 |
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 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $127 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1944 to 1947: $100 is worth $127 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1944-to-1947/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1944 to 1947. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1944-to-1947/
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.