U.S. inflation · 1949–1957
$100 in 1949 has the same buying power as
$118
in 1957
| Cumulative price change | 18.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.10% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $118 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $18.07 |
| CPI in 1949 | 23.8 |
| CPI in 1957 | 28.1 |
| Inflation in 1949 | -1.24% |
| Inflation in 1957 | 3.31% |
| $100 in 1949 → 1957 | $118 |
| $100 in 1957 → 1949 | $84.70 |
Between 1949 and 1957, the Consumer Price Index went from 23.8 to 28.1. Cumulatively, prices increased 18.1%, which works out to an average of 2.10% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1949 bought what $0.85 buys in 1957.
| Amount in 1949 | Value in 1957 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.18 |
| $5.00 | $5.90 |
| $10.00 | $11.81 |
| $20.00 | $23.61 |
| $50.00 | $59.03 |
| $100 | $118 |
| $500 | $590 |
| $1,000 | $1,181 |
| $5,000 | $5,903 |
| $10,000 | $11,807 |
| $100,000 | $118,067 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,180,672 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1949 spending costs in 1957, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1949 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.10% | $118 |
| Medical care | 3.64% | $133 |
| Transportation | 2.86% | $125 |
| Food | 1.83% | $116 |
| Apparel | 1.09% | $109 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1949: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1949 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $100 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $101 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $109 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $111 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $112 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $113 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $113 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $114 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $118 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1949 to 1957: $100 is worth $118 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1949-to-1957/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1949 to 1957. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1949-to-1957/
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.