U.S. inflation · 1945–1952
$100 in 1945 has the same buying power as
$147
in 1952
| Cumulative price change | 47.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.68% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $147 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $47.22 |
| CPI in 1945 | 18 |
| CPI in 1952 | 26.5 |
| Inflation in 1945 | 2.27% |
| Inflation in 1952 | 1.92% |
| $100 in 1945 → 1952 | $147 |
| $100 in 1952 → 1945 | $67.92 |
Between 1945 and 1952, the Consumer Price Index went from 18 to 26.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 47.2%, which works out to an average of 5.68% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1945 bought what $0.68 buys in 1952.
| Amount in 1945 | Value in 1952 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.47 |
| $5.00 | $7.36 |
| $10.00 | $14.72 |
| $20.00 | $29.44 |
| $50.00 | $73.61 |
| $100 | $147 |
| $500 | $736 |
| $1,000 | $1,472 |
| $5,000 | $7,361 |
| $10,000 | $14,722 |
| $100,000 | $147,222 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,472,222 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1945 spending costs in 1952, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1945 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.68% | $147 |
| Food | 7.50% | $166 |
| Transportation | 7.10% | $162 |
| Medical care | 4.96% | $140 |
| Apparel | 4.77% | $139 |
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 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $144 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $147 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1945 to 1952: $100 is worth $147 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1945-to-1952/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1945 to 1952. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1945-to-1952/
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.