U.S. inflation · 1947–1953
$100 in 1947 has the same buying power as
$120
in 1953
| Cumulative price change | 19.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.05% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $120 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $19.73 |
| CPI in 1947 | 22.3 |
| CPI in 1953 | 26.7 |
| Inflation in 1947 | 14.36% |
| Inflation in 1953 | 0.75% |
| $100 in 1947 → 1953 | $120 |
| $100 in 1953 → 1947 | $83.52 |
Between 1947 and 1953, the Consumer Price Index went from 22.3 to 26.7. Cumulatively, prices increased 19.7%, which works out to an average of 3.05% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1947 bought what $0.84 buys in 1953.
| Amount in 1947 | Value in 1953 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.20 |
| $5.00 | $5.99 |
| $10.00 | $11.97 |
| $20.00 | $23.95 |
| $50.00 | $59.87 |
| $100 | $120 |
| $500 | $599 |
| $1,000 | $1,197 |
| $5,000 | $5,987 |
| $10,000 | $11,973 |
| $100,000 | $119,731 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,197,309 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1947 spending costs in 1953, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1947 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.05% | $120 |
| Transportation | 6.17% | $143 |
| Medical care | 4.22% | $128 |
| Food | 2.71% | $117 |
| Apparel | 1.29% | $108 |
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 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $120 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1947 to 1953: $100 is worth $120 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1947-to-1953/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1947 to 1953. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1947-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.