U.S. inflation · 1950–2002
$100 in 1950 has the same buying power as
$746
in 2002
| Cumulative price change | 646.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.94% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $746 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $646 |
| CPI in 1950 | 24.1 |
| CPI in 2002 | 179.9 |
| Inflation in 1950 | 1.26% |
| Inflation in 2002 | 1.58% |
| $100 in 1950 → 2002 | $746 |
| $100 in 2002 → 1950 | $13.40 |
Between 1950 and 2002, the Consumer Price Index went from 24.1 to 179.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 646.5%, which works out to an average of 3.94% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1950 bought what $0.13 buys in 2002.
| Amount in 1950 | Value in 2002 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $7.46 |
| $5.00 | $37.32 |
| $10.00 | $74.65 |
| $20.00 | $149 |
| $50.00 | $373 |
| $100 | $746 |
| $500 | $3,732 |
| $1,000 | $7,465 |
| $5,000 | $37,324 |
| $10,000 | $74,647 |
| $100,000 | $746,473 |
| $1,000,000 | $7,464,730 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1950 spending costs in 2002, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1950 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.94% | $746 |
| Medical care | 5.82% | $1,891 |
| Food | 3.79% | $694 |
| Transportation | 3.74% | $674 |
| Apparel | 2.18% | $308 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1950: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1950 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $100 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $110 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $112 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $113 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $120 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $123 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $125 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $129 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $134 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $144 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $161 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $173 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $205 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $236 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $271 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $342 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $400 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $431 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $455 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $491 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $542 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $582 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $615 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $651 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $676 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | 3.4% | $715 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $746 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1950 to 2002: $100 is worth $746 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1950-to-2002/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1950 to 2002. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1950-to-2002/
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.