U.S. inflation · 1944–1961
$100 in 1944 has the same buying power as
$170
in 1961
| Cumulative price change | 69.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.17% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $170 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $69.89 |
| CPI in 1944 | 17.6 |
| CPI in 1961 | 29.9 |
| Inflation in 1944 | 1.73% |
| Inflation in 1961 | 1.01% |
| $100 in 1944 → 1961 | $170 |
| $100 in 1961 → 1944 | $58.86 |
Between 1944 and 1961, the Consumer Price Index went from 17.6 to 29.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 69.9%, which works out to an average of 3.17% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1944 bought what $0.59 buys in 1961.
| Amount in 1944 | Value in 1961 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.70 |
| $5.00 | $8.49 |
| $10.00 | $16.99 |
| $20.00 | $33.98 |
| $50.00 | $84.94 |
| $100 | $170 |
| $500 | $849 |
| $1,000 | $1,699 |
| $5,000 | $8,494 |
| $10,000 | $16,989 |
| $100,000 | $169,886 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,698,864 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1944 spending costs in 1961, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1944 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.17% | $170 |
| Medical care | 4.08% | $197 |
| Transportation | 3.83% | $189 |
| Food | 3.51% | $180 |
| Apparel | 2.60% | $155 |
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 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $153 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $152 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $155 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $160 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $164 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $165 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $168 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $170 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1944 to 1961: $100 is worth $170 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1944-to-1961/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1944 to 1961. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1944-to-1961/
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.