U.S. inflation · 1948–1972
$100 in 1948 has the same buying power as
$173
in 1972
| Cumulative price change | 73.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.32% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $173 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $73.44 |
| CPI in 1948 | 24.1 |
| CPI in 1972 | 41.8 |
| Inflation in 1948 | 8.07% |
| Inflation in 1972 | 3.21% |
| $100 in 1948 → 1972 | $173 |
| $100 in 1972 → 1948 | $57.66 |
Between 1948 and 1972, the Consumer Price Index went from 24.1 to 41.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 73.4%, which works out to an average of 2.32% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1948 bought what $0.58 buys in 1972.
| Amount in 1948 | Value in 1972 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.73 |
| $5.00 | $8.67 |
| $10.00 | $17.34 |
| $20.00 | $34.69 |
| $50.00 | $86.72 |
| $100 | $173 |
| $500 | $867 |
| $1,000 | $1,734 |
| $5,000 | $8,672 |
| $10,000 | $17,344 |
| $100,000 | $173,444 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,734,440 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1948 spending costs in 1972, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1948 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.32% | $173 |
| Medical care | 4.05% | $259 |
| Transportation | 2.79% | $194 |
| Food | 2.01% | $161 |
| Apparel | 1.61% | $147 |
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 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $173 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1948 to 1972: $100 is worth $173 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1948-to-1972/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1948 to 1972. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1948-to-1972/
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.