U.S. inflation · 1947–1959
$100 in 1947 has the same buying power as
$130
in 1959
| Cumulative price change | 30.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.24% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $130 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $30.49 |
| CPI in 1947 | 22.3 |
| CPI in 1959 | 29.1 |
| Inflation in 1947 | 14.36% |
| Inflation in 1959 | 0.69% |
| $100 in 1947 → 1959 | $130 |
| $100 in 1959 → 1947 | $76.63 |
Between 1947 and 1959, the Consumer Price Index went from 22.3 to 29.1. Cumulatively, prices increased 30.5%, which works out to an average of 2.24% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1947 bought what $0.77 buys in 1959.
| Amount in 1947 | Value in 1959 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.30 |
| $5.00 | $6.52 |
| $10.00 | $13.05 |
| $20.00 | $26.10 |
| $50.00 | $65.25 |
| $100 | $130 |
| $500 | $652 |
| $1,000 | $1,305 |
| $5,000 | $6,525 |
| $10,000 | $13,049 |
| $100,000 | $130,493 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,304,933 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1947 spending costs in 1959, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1947 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.24% | $130 |
| Transportation | 4.05% | $161 |
| Medical care | 3.95% | $159 |
| Food | 1.76% | $123 |
| Apparel | 1.01% | $113 |
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 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $121 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $120 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $122 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $126 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $130 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $130 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1947 to 1959: $100 is worth $130 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1947-to-1959/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1947 to 1959. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1947-to-1959/
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.