U.S. inflation · 1947–1949
$100 in 1947 has the same buying power as
$107
in 1949
| Cumulative price change | 6.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.31% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $107 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $6.73 |
| CPI in 1947 | 22.3 |
| CPI in 1949 | 23.8 |
| Inflation in 1947 | 14.36% |
| Inflation in 1949 | -1.24% |
| $100 in 1947 → 1949 | $107 |
| $100 in 1949 → 1947 | $93.70 |
Between 1947 and 1949, the Consumer Price Index went from 22.3 to 23.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 6.7%, which works out to an average of 3.31% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1947 bought what $0.94 buys in 1949.
| Amount in 1947 | Value in 1949 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.07 |
| $5.00 | $5.34 |
| $10.00 | $10.67 |
| $20.00 | $21.35 |
| $50.00 | $53.36 |
| $100 | $107 |
| $500 | $534 |
| $1,000 | $1,067 |
| $5,000 | $5,336 |
| $10,000 | $10,673 |
| $100,000 | $106,726 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,067,265 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1947 spending costs in 1949, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1947 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.31% | $107 |
| Transportation | 9.30% | $119 |
| Medical care | 4.70% | $110 |
| Food | 1.85% | $104 |
| Apparel | 1.12% | $102 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1947: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1947 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $100 |
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $108 |
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $107 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1947 to 1949: $100 is worth $107 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1947-to-1949/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1947 to 1949. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1947-to-1949/
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.