U.S. inflation · 1946–2018
$100 in 1946 has the same buying power as
$1,288
in 2018
| Cumulative price change | 1187.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.61% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,288 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $1,188 |
| CPI in 1946 | 19.5 |
| CPI in 2018 | 251.107 |
| Inflation in 1946 | 8.33% |
| Inflation in 2018 | 2.44% |
| $100 in 1946 → 2018 | $1,288 |
| $100 in 2018 → 1946 | $7.77 |
Between 1946 and 2018, the Consumer Price Index went from 19.5 to 251.107. Cumulatively, prices increased 1187.7%, which works out to an average of 3.61% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1946 bought what $0.08 buys in 2018.
| Amount in 1946 | Value in 2018 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $12.88 |
| $5.00 | $64.39 |
| $10.00 | $129 |
| $20.00 | $258 |
| $50.00 | $644 |
| $100 | $1,288 |
| $500 | $6,439 |
| $1,000 | $12,877 |
| $5,000 | $64,386 |
| $10,000 | $128,773 |
| $100,000 | $1,287,728 |
| $1,000,000 | $12,877,282 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1946 spending costs in 2018, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1946 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.61% | $1,288 |
| Medical care | 5.21% | $3,878 |
| Food | 3.61% | $1,281 |
| Transportation | 3.58% | $1,261 |
| Apparel | 1.82% | $365 |
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 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $133 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $139 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $153 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $166 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $208 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $292 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $466 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $562 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $698 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $805 |
| 2001 | 177.1 | 2.8% | $908 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $1,034 |
| 2011 | 224.939 | 3.2% | $1,154 |
| 2016 | 240.007 | 1.3% | $1,231 |
| 2018 | 251.107 | 2.4% | $1,288 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1946 to 2018: $100 is worth $1,288 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1946-to-2018/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1946 to 2018. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1946-to-2018/
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.