U.S. inflation · 1951–1956
$100 in 1951 has the same buying power as
$105
in 1956
| Cumulative price change | 4.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 0.91% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $105 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $4.62 |
| CPI in 1951 | 26 |
| CPI in 1956 | 27.2 |
| Inflation in 1951 | 7.88% |
| Inflation in 1956 | 1.49% |
| $100 in 1951 → 1956 | $105 |
| $100 in 1956 → 1951 | $95.59 |
Between 1951 and 1956, the Consumer Price Index went from 26 to 27.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 4.6%, which works out to an average of 0.91% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1951 bought what $0.96 buys in 1956.
| Amount in 1951 | Value in 1956 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.05 |
| $5.00 | $5.23 |
| $10.00 | $10.46 |
| $20.00 | $20.92 |
| $50.00 | $52.31 |
| $100 | $105 |
| $500 | $523 |
| $1,000 | $1,046 |
| $5,000 | $5,231 |
| $10,000 | $10,462 |
| $100,000 | $104,615 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,046,154 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1951 spending costs in 1956, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1951 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 0.91% | $105 |
| Medical care | 3.52% | $119 |
| Transportation | 1.68% | $109 |
| Apparel | -0.09% | $99.54 |
| Food | -0.14% | $99.29 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1951: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1951 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $100 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $102 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $103 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $103 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $103 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $105 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1951 to 1956: $100 is worth $105 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1951-to-1956/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1951 to 1956. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1951-to-1956/
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.