U.S. inflation · 1946–1953
$100 in 1946 has the same buying power as
$137
in 1953
| Cumulative price change | 36.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.59% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $137 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $36.92 |
| CPI in 1946 | 19.5 |
| CPI in 1953 | 26.7 |
| Inflation in 1946 | 8.33% |
| Inflation in 1953 | 0.75% |
| $100 in 1946 → 1953 | $137 |
| $100 in 1953 → 1946 | $73.03 |
Between 1946 and 1953, the Consumer Price Index went from 19.5 to 26.7. Cumulatively, prices increased 36.9%, which works out to an average of 4.59% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1946 bought what $0.73 buys in 1953.
| Amount in 1946 | Value in 1953 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.37 |
| $5.00 | $6.85 |
| $10.00 | $13.69 |
| $20.00 | $27.38 |
| $50.00 | $68.46 |
| $100 | $137 |
| $500 | $685 |
| $1,000 | $1,369 |
| $5,000 | $6,846 |
| $10,000 | $13,692 |
| $100,000 | $136,923 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,369,231 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1946 spending costs in 1953, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1946 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.59% | $137 |
| Transportation | 6.82% | $159 |
| Food | 5.23% | $143 |
| Medical care | 4.75% | $138 |
| Apparel | 3.27% | $125 |
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 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $136 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $137 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1946 to 1953: $100 is worth $137 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1946-to-1953/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1946 to 1953. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1946-to-1953/
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.