U.S. inflation · 1949–1958
$100 in 1949 has the same buying power as
$121
in 1958
| Cumulative price change | 21.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.18% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $121 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $21.43 |
| CPI in 1949 | 23.8 |
| CPI in 1958 | 28.9 |
| Inflation in 1949 | -1.24% |
| Inflation in 1958 | 2.85% |
| $100 in 1949 → 1958 | $121 |
| $100 in 1958 → 1949 | $82.35 |
Between 1949 and 1958, the Consumer Price Index went from 23.8 to 28.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 21.4%, which works out to an average of 2.18% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1949 bought what $0.82 buys in 1958.
| Amount in 1949 | Value in 1958 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.21 |
| $5.00 | $6.07 |
| $10.00 | $12.14 |
| $20.00 | $24.29 |
| $50.00 | $60.71 |
| $100 | $121 |
| $500 | $607 |
| $1,000 | $1,214 |
| $5,000 | $6,071 |
| $10,000 | $12,143 |
| $100,000 | $121,429 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,214,286 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1949 spending costs in 1958, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1949 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.18% | $121 |
| Medical care | 3.74% | $139 |
| Transportation | 2.91% | $129 |
| Food | 2.12% | $121 |
| Apparel | 0.99% | $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 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $121 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1949 to 1958: $100 is worth $121 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1949-to-1958/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1949 to 1958. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1949-to-1958/
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.