U.S. inflation · 1947–1952
$100 in 1947 has the same buying power as
$119
in 1952
| Cumulative price change | 18.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.51% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $119 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $18.83 |
| CPI in 1947 | 22.3 |
| CPI in 1952 | 26.5 |
| Inflation in 1947 | 14.36% |
| Inflation in 1952 | 1.92% |
| $100 in 1947 → 1952 | $119 |
| $100 in 1952 → 1947 | $84.15 |
Between 1947 and 1952, the Consumer Price Index went from 22.3 to 26.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 18.8%, which works out to an average of 3.51% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1947 bought what $0.84 buys in 1952.
| Amount in 1947 | Value in 1952 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.19 |
| $5.00 | $5.94 |
| $10.00 | $11.88 |
| $20.00 | $23.77 |
| $50.00 | $59.42 |
| $100 | $119 |
| $500 | $594 |
| $1,000 | $1,188 |
| $5,000 | $5,942 |
| $10,000 | $11,883 |
| $100,000 | $118,834 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,188,341 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1947 spending costs in 1952, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1947 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.51% | $119 |
| Transportation | 6.80% | $139 |
| Medical care | 4.35% | $124 |
| Food | 3.56% | $119 |
| Apparel | 1.74% | $109 |
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 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $117 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $119 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1947 to 1952: $100 is worth $119 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1947-to-1952/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1947 to 1952. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1947-to-1952/
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.