U.S. inflation · 1947–1950
$100 in 1947 has the same buying power as
$108
in 1950
| Cumulative price change | 8.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.62% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $108 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $8.07 |
| CPI in 1947 | 22.3 |
| CPI in 1950 | 24.1 |
| Inflation in 1947 | 14.36% |
| Inflation in 1950 | 1.26% |
| $100 in 1947 → 1950 | $108 |
| $100 in 1950 → 1947 | $92.53 |
Between 1947 and 1950, the Consumer Price Index went from 22.3 to 24.1. Cumulatively, prices increased 8.1%, which works out to an average of 2.62% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1947 bought what $0.93 buys in 1950.
| Amount in 1947 | Value in 1950 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.08 |
| $5.00 | $5.40 |
| $10.00 | $10.81 |
| $20.00 | $21.61 |
| $50.00 | $54.04 |
| $100 | $108 |
| $500 | $540 |
| $1,000 | $1,081 |
| $5,000 | $5,404 |
| $10,000 | $10,807 |
| $100,000 | $108,072 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,080,717 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1947 spending costs in 1950, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1947 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.62% | $108 |
| Transportation | 7.06% | $123 |
| Medical care | 3.80% | $112 |
| Food | 1.77% | $105 |
| Apparel | 0.33% | $101 |
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 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $108 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1947 to 1950: $100 is worth $108 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1947-to-1950/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1947 to 1950. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1947-to-1950/
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.