U.S. inflation · 1949–1961
$100 in 1949 has the same buying power as
$126
in 1961
| Cumulative price change | 25.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.92% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $126 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $25.63 |
| CPI in 1949 | 23.8 |
| CPI in 1961 | 29.9 |
| Inflation in 1949 | -1.24% |
| Inflation in 1961 | 1.01% |
| $100 in 1949 → 1961 | $126 |
| $100 in 1961 → 1949 | $79.60 |
Between 1949 and 1961, the Consumer Price Index went from 23.8 to 29.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 25.6%, which works out to an average of 1.92% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1949 bought what $0.80 buys in 1961.
| Amount in 1949 | Value in 1961 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.26 |
| $5.00 | $6.28 |
| $10.00 | $12.56 |
| $20.00 | $25.13 |
| $50.00 | $62.82 |
| $100 | $126 |
| $500 | $628 |
| $1,000 | $1,256 |
| $5,000 | $6,282 |
| $10,000 | $12,563 |
| $100,000 | $125,630 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,256,303 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1949 spending costs in 1961, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1949 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.92% | $126 |
| Medical care | 3.70% | $155 |
| Transportation | 2.61% | $136 |
| Food | 1.64% | $122 |
| Apparel | 1.02% | $113 |
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 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $126 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1949 to 1961: $100 is worth $126 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1949-to-1961/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1949 to 1961. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1949-to-1961/
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.