U.S. inflation · 1949–2021
$100 in 1949 has the same buying power as
$1,139
in 2021
| Cumulative price change | 1038.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.44% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,139 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $1,039 |
| CPI in 1949 | 23.8 |
| CPI in 2021 | 270.97 |
| Inflation in 1949 | -1.24% |
| Inflation in 2021 | 4.70% |
| $100 in 1949 → 2021 | $1,139 |
| $100 in 2021 → 1949 | $8.78 |
Between 1949 and 2021, the Consumer Price Index went from 23.8 to 270.97. Cumulatively, prices increased 1038.5%, which works out to an average of 3.44% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1949 bought what $0.09 buys in 2021.
| Amount in 1949 | Value in 2021 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $11.39 |
| $5.00 | $56.93 |
| $10.00 | $114 |
| $20.00 | $228 |
| $50.00 | $569 |
| $100 | $1,139 |
| $500 | $5,693 |
| $1,000 | $11,385 |
| $5,000 | $56,926 |
| $10,000 | $113,853 |
| $100,000 | $1,138,529 |
| $1,000,000 | $11,385,294 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1949 spending costs in 2021, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1949 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.44% | $1,139 |
| Medical care | 5.08% | $3,549 |
| Food | 3.40% | $1,111 |
| Transportation | 3.31% | $1,044 |
| Apparel | 1.52% | $297 |
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 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $113 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $122 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $130 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $154 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $207 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $305 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $437 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $521 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $623 |
| 1999 | 166.6 | 2.2% | $700 |
| 2004 | 188.9 | 2.7% | $794 |
| 2009 | 214.537 | -0.4% | $901 |
| 2014 | 236.736 | 1.6% | $995 |
| 2019 | 255.657 | 1.8% | $1,074 |
| 2021 | 270.97 | 4.7% | $1,139 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1949 to 2021: $100 is worth $1,139 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1949-to-2021/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1949 to 2021. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1949-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.