U.S. inflation · 1948–1949
$100 in 1948 has the same buying power as
$98.76
in 1949
| Cumulative price change | -1.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | -1.24% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $98.76 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | -$1.24 |
| CPI in 1948 | 24.1 |
| CPI in 1949 | 23.8 |
| Inflation in 1948 | 8.07% |
| Inflation in 1949 | -1.24% |
| $100 in 1948 → 1949 | $98.76 |
| $100 in 1949 → 1948 | $101 |
Between 1948 and 1949, the Consumer Price Index went from 24.1 to 23.8. Cumulatively, prices declined 1.2%, which works out to an average of -1.24% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1948 bought what $1.01 buys in 1949.
| Amount in 1948 | Value in 1949 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $0.99 |
| $5.00 | $4.94 |
| $10.00 | $9.88 |
| $20.00 | $19.75 |
| $50.00 | $49.38 |
| $100 | $98.76 |
| $500 | $494 |
| $1,000 | $988 |
| $5,000 | $4,938 |
| $10,000 | $9,876 |
| $100,000 | $98,755 |
| $1,000,000 | $987,552 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1948 spending costs in 1949, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1948 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | -1.24% | $98.76 |
| Transportation | 7.28% | $107 |
| Medical care | 2.78% | $103 |
| Apparel | -4.00% | $96.00 |
| Food | -4.21% | $95.79 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1948: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1948 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $100 |
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $98.76 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1948 to 1949: $100 is worth $98.76 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1948-to-1949/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1948 to 1949. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1948-to-1949/
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.