U.S. inflation · 1948–1971
$100 in 1948 has the same buying power as
$168
in 1971
| Cumulative price change | 68.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.28% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $168 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $68.05 |
| CPI in 1948 | 24.1 |
| CPI in 1971 | 40.5 |
| Inflation in 1948 | 8.07% |
| Inflation in 1971 | 4.38% |
| $100 in 1948 → 1971 | $168 |
| $100 in 1971 → 1948 | $59.51 |
Between 1948 and 1971, the Consumer Price Index went from 24.1 to 40.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 68.0%, which works out to an average of 2.28% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1948 bought what $0.60 buys in 1971.
| Amount in 1948 | Value in 1971 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.68 |
| $5.00 | $8.40 |
| $10.00 | $16.80 |
| $20.00 | $33.61 |
| $50.00 | $84.02 |
| $100 | $168 |
| $500 | $840 |
| $1,000 | $1,680 |
| $5,000 | $8,402 |
| $10,000 | $16,805 |
| $100,000 | $168,050 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,680,498 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1948 spending costs in 1971, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1948 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.28% | $168 |
| Medical care | 4.08% | $251 |
| Transportation | 2.87% | $192 |
| Food | 1.92% | $155 |
| Apparel | 1.59% | $144 |
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 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $125 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $127 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $129 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $131 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $134 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $139 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $144 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $152 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $161 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $168 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1948 to 1971: $100 is worth $168 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1948-to-1971/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1948 to 1971. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1948-to-1971/
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.