U.S. inflation · 1949–1960
$100 in 1949 has the same buying power as
$124
in 1960
| Cumulative price change | 24.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.00% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $124 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $24.37 |
| CPI in 1949 | 23.8 |
| CPI in 1960 | 29.6 |
| Inflation in 1949 | -1.24% |
| Inflation in 1960 | 1.72% |
| $100 in 1949 → 1960 | $124 |
| $100 in 1960 → 1949 | $80.41 |
Between 1949 and 1960, the Consumer Price Index went from 23.8 to 29.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 24.4%, which works out to an average of 2.00% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1949 bought what $0.80 buys in 1960.
| Amount in 1949 | Value in 1960 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.24 |
| $5.00 | $6.22 |
| $10.00 | $12.44 |
| $20.00 | $24.87 |
| $50.00 | $62.18 |
| $100 | $124 |
| $500 | $622 |
| $1,000 | $1,244 |
| $5,000 | $6,218 |
| $10,000 | $12,437 |
| $100,000 | $124,370 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,243,697 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1949 spending costs in 1960, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1949 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.00% | $124 |
| Medical care | 3.80% | $151 |
| Transportation | 2.75% | $135 |
| Food | 1.67% | $120 |
| Apparel | 1.04% | $112 |
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 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $122 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $124 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1949 to 1960: $100 is worth $124 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1949-to-1960/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1949 to 1960. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1949-to-1960/
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.