U.S. inflation · 1946–1951
$100 in 1946 has the same buying power as
$133
in 1951
| Cumulative price change | 33.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 5.92% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $133 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $33.33 |
| CPI in 1946 | 19.5 |
| CPI in 1951 | 26 |
| Inflation in 1946 | 8.33% |
| Inflation in 1951 | 7.88% |
| $100 in 1946 → 1951 | $133 |
| $100 in 1951 → 1946 | $75.00 |
Between 1946 and 1951, the Consumer Price Index went from 19.5 to 26. Cumulatively, prices increased 33.3%, which works out to an average of 5.92% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1946 bought what $0.75 buys in 1951.
| Amount in 1946 | Value in 1951 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.33 |
| $5.00 | $6.67 |
| $10.00 | $13.33 |
| $20.00 | $26.67 |
| $50.00 | $66.67 |
| $100 | $133 |
| $500 | $667 |
| $1,000 | $1,333 |
| $5,000 | $6,667 |
| $10,000 | $13,333 |
| $100,000 | $133,333 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,333,333 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1946 spending costs in 1951, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1946 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 5.92% | $133 |
| Transportation | 7.61% | $144 |
| Food | 7.33% | $142 |
| Apparel | 5.00% | $128 |
| Medical care | 4.93% | $127 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1946: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1946 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $100 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $114 |
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $124 |
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $122 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $124 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $133 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1946 to 1951: $100 is worth $133 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1946-to-1951/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1946 to 1951. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1946-to-1951/
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.