U.S. inflation · 1948–1955
$100 in 1948 has the same buying power as
$111
in 1955
| Cumulative price change | 11.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.53% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $111 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $11.20 |
| CPI in 1948 | 24.1 |
| CPI in 1955 | 26.8 |
| Inflation in 1948 | 8.07% |
| Inflation in 1955 | -0.37% |
| $100 in 1948 → 1955 | $111 |
| $100 in 1955 → 1948 | $89.93 |
Between 1948 and 1955, the Consumer Price Index went from 24.1 to 26.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 11.2%, which works out to an average of 1.53% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1948 bought what $0.90 buys in 1955.
| Amount in 1948 | Value in 1955 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.11 |
| $5.00 | $5.56 |
| $10.00 | $11.12 |
| $20.00 | $22.24 |
| $50.00 | $55.60 |
| $100 | $111 |
| $500 | $556 |
| $1,000 | $1,112 |
| $5,000 | $5,560 |
| $10,000 | $11,120 |
| $100,000 | $111,203 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,112,033 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1948 spending costs in 1955, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1948 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.53% | $111 |
| Medical care | 3.40% | $126 |
| Transportation | 3.27% | $125 |
| Food | 0.91% | $107 |
| Apparel | 0.13% | $101 |
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 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $100 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $108 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $110 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $111 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $112 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $111 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1948 to 1955: $100 is worth $111 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1948-to-1955/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1948 to 1955. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1948-to-1955/
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.