U.S. inflation · 1945–1950
$100 in 1945 has the same buying power as
$134
in 1950
| Cumulative price change | 33.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 6.01% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $134 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $33.89 |
| CPI in 1945 | 18 |
| CPI in 1950 | 24.1 |
| Inflation in 1945 | 2.27% |
| Inflation in 1950 | 1.26% |
| $100 in 1945 → 1950 | $134 |
| $100 in 1950 → 1945 | $74.69 |
Between 1945 and 1950, the Consumer Price Index went from 18 to 24.1. Cumulatively, prices increased 33.9%, which works out to an average of 6.01% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1945 bought what $0.75 buys in 1950.
| Amount in 1945 | Value in 1950 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.34 |
| $5.00 | $6.69 |
| $10.00 | $13.39 |
| $20.00 | $26.78 |
| $50.00 | $66.94 |
| $100 | $134 |
| $500 | $669 |
| $1,000 | $1,339 |
| $5,000 | $6,694 |
| $10,000 | $13,389 |
| $100,000 | $133,889 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,338,889 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1945 spending costs in 1950, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1945 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 6.01% | $134 |
| Food | 7.98% | $147 |
| Transportation | 7.38% | $143 |
| Apparel | 5.12% | $128 |
| Medical care | 4.88% | $127 |
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 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $134 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1945 to 1950: $100 is worth $134 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1945-to-1950/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1945 to 1950. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1945-to-1950/
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.