U.S. inflation · 1944–1953
$100 in 1944 has the same buying power as
$152
in 1953
| Cumulative price change | 51.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.74% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $152 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $51.70 |
| CPI in 1944 | 17.6 |
| CPI in 1953 | 26.7 |
| Inflation in 1944 | 1.73% |
| Inflation in 1953 | 0.75% |
| $100 in 1944 → 1953 | $152 |
| $100 in 1953 → 1944 | $65.92 |
Between 1944 and 1953, the Consumer Price Index went from 17.6 to 26.7. Cumulatively, prices increased 51.7%, which works out to an average of 4.74% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1944 bought what $0.66 buys in 1953.
| Amount in 1944 | Value in 1953 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.52 |
| $5.00 | $7.59 |
| $10.00 | $15.17 |
| $20.00 | $30.34 |
| $50.00 | $75.85 |
| $100 | $152 |
| $500 | $759 |
| $1,000 | $1,517 |
| $5,000 | $7,585 |
| $10,000 | $15,170 |
| $100,000 | $151,705 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,517,045 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1944 spending costs in 1953, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1944 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.74% | $152 |
| Food | 5.90% | $167 |
| Transportation | 5.84% | $167 |
| Medical care | 4.54% | $149 |
| Apparel | 4.19% | $145 |
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 |
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $137 |
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $135 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $137 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $148 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $151 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $152 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1944 to 1953: $100 is worth $152 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1944-to-1953/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1944 to 1953. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1944-to-1953/
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.