U.S. inflation · 1947–2012
$100 in 1947 has the same buying power as
$1,030
in 2012
| Cumulative price change | 929.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.65% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,030 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $930 |
| CPI in 1947 | 22.3 |
| CPI in 2012 | 229.594 |
| Inflation in 1947 | 14.36% |
| Inflation in 2012 | 2.07% |
| $100 in 1947 → 2012 | $1,030 |
| $100 in 2012 → 1947 | $9.71 |
Between 1947 and 2012, the Consumer Price Index went from 22.3 to 229.594. Cumulatively, prices increased 929.6%, which works out to an average of 3.65% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1947 bought what $0.10 buys in 2012.
| Amount in 1947 | Value in 2012 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $10.30 |
| $5.00 | $51.48 |
| $10.00 | $103 |
| $20.00 | $206 |
| $50.00 | $515 |
| $100 | $1,030 |
| $500 | $5,148 |
| $1,000 | $10,296 |
| $5,000 | $51,478 |
| $10,000 | $102,957 |
| $100,000 | $1,029,570 |
| $1,000,000 | $10,295,695 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1947 spending costs in 2012, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1947 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.65% | $1,030 |
| Medical care | 5.41% | $3,074 |
| Transportation | 3.86% | $1,175 |
| Food | 3.56% | $970 |
| Apparel | 1.79% | $316 |
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 |
| 2012 | 229.594 | 2.1% | $1,030 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1947 to 2012: $100 is worth $1,030 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1947-to-2012/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1947 to 2012. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1947-to-2012/
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.