U.S. inflation · 1945–1949
$100 in 1945 has the same buying power as
$132
in 1949
| Cumulative price change | 32.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 7.23% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $132 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $32.22 |
| CPI in 1945 | 18 |
| CPI in 1949 | 23.8 |
| Inflation in 1945 | 2.27% |
| Inflation in 1949 | -1.24% |
| $100 in 1945 → 1949 | $132 |
| $100 in 1949 → 1945 | $75.63 |
Between 1945 and 1949, the Consumer Price Index went from 18 to 23.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 32.2%, which works out to an average of 7.23% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1945 bought what $0.76 buys in 1949.
| Amount in 1945 | Value in 1949 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.32 |
| $5.00 | $6.61 |
| $10.00 | $13.22 |
| $20.00 | $26.44 |
| $50.00 | $66.11 |
| $100 | $132 |
| $500 | $661 |
| $1,000 | $1,322 |
| $5,000 | $6,611 |
| $10,000 | $13,222 |
| $100,000 | $132,222 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,322,222 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1945 spending costs in 1949, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1945 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 7.23% | $132 |
| Food | 9.64% | $145 |
| Transportation | 8.58% | $139 |
| Apparel | 6.77% | $130 |
| Medical care | 5.60% | $124 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1945: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1945 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | 18 | 2.3% | $100 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $108 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $124 |
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $134 |
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $132 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1945 to 1949: $100 is worth $132 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1945-to-1949/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1945 to 1949. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1945-to-1949/
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.