U.S. inflation · 1948–2021
$100 in 1948 has the same buying power as
$1,124
in 2021
| Cumulative price change | 1024.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.37% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,124 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $1,024 |
| CPI in 1948 | 24.1 |
| CPI in 2021 | 270.97 |
| Inflation in 1948 | 8.07% |
| Inflation in 2021 | 4.70% |
| $100 in 1948 → 2021 | $1,124 |
| $100 in 2021 → 1948 | $8.89 |
Between 1948 and 2021, the Consumer Price Index went from 24.1 to 270.97. Cumulatively, prices increased 1024.4%, which works out to an average of 3.37% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1948 bought what $0.09 buys in 2021.
| Amount in 1948 | Value in 2021 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $11.24 |
| $5.00 | $56.22 |
| $10.00 | $112 |
| $20.00 | $225 |
| $50.00 | $562 |
| $100 | $1,124 |
| $500 | $5,622 |
| $1,000 | $11,244 |
| $5,000 | $56,218 |
| $10,000 | $112,436 |
| $100,000 | $1,124,357 |
| $1,000,000 | $11,243,568 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1948 spending costs in 2021, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1948 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.37% | $1,124 |
| Medical care | 5.05% | $3,648 |
| Transportation | 3.36% | $1,120 |
| Food | 3.29% | $1,064 |
| Apparel | 1.44% | $285 |
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 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $111 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $120 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $127 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $144 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $184 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $271 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $413 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $491 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $600 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $676 |
| 2003 | 184 | 2.3% | $763 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $893 |
| 2013 | 232.957 | 1.5% | $967 |
| 2018 | 251.107 | 2.4% | $1,042 |
| 2021 | 270.97 | 4.7% | $1,124 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1948 to 2021: $100 is worth $1,124 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1948-to-2021/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1948 to 2021. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1948-to-2021/
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.