U.S. inflation · 1952–1955
$100 in 1952 has the same buying power as
$101
in 1955
| Cumulative price change | 1.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 0.38% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $101 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $1.13 |
| CPI in 1952 | 26.5 |
| CPI in 1955 | 26.8 |
| Inflation in 1952 | 1.92% |
| Inflation in 1955 | -0.37% |
| $100 in 1952 → 1955 | $101 |
| $100 in 1955 → 1952 | $98.88 |
Between 1952 and 1955, the Consumer Price Index went from 26.5 to 26.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 1.1%, which works out to an average of 0.38% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1952 bought what $0.99 buys in 1955.
| Amount in 1952 | Value in 1955 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.01 |
| $5.00 | $5.06 |
| $10.00 | $10.11 |
| $20.00 | $20.23 |
| $50.00 | $50.57 |
| $100 | $101 |
| $500 | $506 |
| $1,000 | $1,011 |
| $5,000 | $5,057 |
| $10,000 | $10,113 |
| $100,000 | $101,132 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,011,321 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1952 spending costs in 1955, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1952 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 0.38% | $101 |
| Medical care | 2.91% | $109 |
| Transportation | 0.13% | $100 |
| Apparel | -0.46% | $98.62 |
| Food | -1.06% | $96.86 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1952: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1952 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $100 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $101 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $102 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $101 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1952 to 1955: $100 is worth $101 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1952-to-1955/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1952 to 1955. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1952-to-1955/
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.