U.S. inflation · 1948–1961
$100 in 1948 has the same buying power as
$124
in 1961
| Cumulative price change | 24.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.67% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $124 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $24.07 |
| CPI in 1948 | 24.1 |
| CPI in 1961 | 29.9 |
| Inflation in 1948 | 8.07% |
| Inflation in 1961 | 1.01% |
| $100 in 1948 → 1961 | $124 |
| $100 in 1961 → 1948 | $80.60 |
Between 1948 and 1961, the Consumer Price Index went from 24.1 to 29.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 24.1%, which works out to an average of 1.67% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1948 bought what $0.81 buys in 1961.
| Amount in 1948 | Value in 1961 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.24 |
| $5.00 | $6.20 |
| $10.00 | $12.41 |
| $20.00 | $24.81 |
| $50.00 | $62.03 |
| $100 | $124 |
| $500 | $620 |
| $1,000 | $1,241 |
| $5,000 | $6,203 |
| $10,000 | $12,407 |
| $100,000 | $124,066 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,240,664 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1948 spending costs in 1961, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1948 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.67% | $124 |
| Medical care | 3.63% | $159 |
| Transportation | 2.96% | $146 |
| Food | 1.18% | $116 |
| Apparel | 0.63% | $108 |
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 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $113 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $117 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $120 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $121 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $123 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $124 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1948 to 1961: $100 is worth $124 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1948-to-1961/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1948 to 1961. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1948-to-1961/
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.