U.S. inflation · 1947–2011
$100 in 1947 has the same buying power as
$1,009
in 2011
| Cumulative price change | 908.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.68% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,009 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $909 |
| CPI in 1947 | 22.3 |
| CPI in 2011 | 224.939 |
| Inflation in 1947 | 14.36% |
| Inflation in 2011 | 3.16% |
| $100 in 1947 → 2011 | $1,009 |
| $100 in 2011 → 1947 | $9.91 |
Between 1947 and 2011, the Consumer Price Index went from 22.3 to 224.939. Cumulatively, prices increased 908.7%, which works out to an average of 3.68% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1947 bought what $0.10 buys in 2011.
| Amount in 1947 | Value in 2011 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $10.09 |
| $5.00 | $50.43 |
| $10.00 | $101 |
| $20.00 | $202 |
| $50.00 | $504 |
| $100 | $1,009 |
| $500 | $5,043 |
| $1,000 | $10,087 |
| $5,000 | $50,435 |
| $10,000 | $100,870 |
| $100,000 | $1,008,695 |
| $1,000,000 | $10,086,951 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1947 spending costs in 2011, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1947 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.68% | $1,009 |
| Medical care | 5.44% | $2,965 |
| Transportation | 3.89% | $1,148 |
| Food | 3.57% | $945 |
| Apparel | 1.76% | $306 |
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 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $119 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $126 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $135 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $150 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $187 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $272 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $433 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $509 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $629 |
| 1997 | 160.5 | 2.3% | $720 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $807 |
| 2007 | 207.342 | 2.8% | $930 |
| 2011 | 224.939 | 3.2% | $1,009 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1947 to 2011: $100 is worth $1,009 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1947-to-2011/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1947 to 2011. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1947-to-2011/
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.