U.S. inflation · 1952–1959
$100 in 1952 has the same buying power as
$110
in 1959
| Cumulative price change | 9.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.35% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $110 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $9.81 |
| CPI in 1952 | 26.5 |
| CPI in 1959 | 29.1 |
| Inflation in 1952 | 1.92% |
| Inflation in 1959 | 0.69% |
| $100 in 1952 → 1959 | $110 |
| $100 in 1959 → 1952 | $91.07 |
Between 1952 and 1959, the Consumer Price Index went from 26.5 to 29.1. Cumulatively, prices increased 9.8%, which works out to an average of 1.35% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1952 bought what $0.91 buys in 1959.
| Amount in 1952 | Value in 1959 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.10 |
| $5.00 | $5.49 |
| $10.00 | $10.98 |
| $20.00 | $21.96 |
| $50.00 | $54.91 |
| $100 | $110 |
| $500 | $549 |
| $1,000 | $1,098 |
| $5,000 | $5,491 |
| $10,000 | $10,981 |
| $100,000 | $109,811 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,098,113 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1952 spending costs in 1959, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1952 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.35% | $110 |
| Medical care | 3.68% | $129 |
| Transportation | 2.14% | $116 |
| Food | 0.49% | $103 |
| Apparel | 0.49% | $103 |
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 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $103 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $106 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $109 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $110 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1952 to 1959: $100 is worth $110 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1952-to-1959/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1952 to 1959. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1952-to-1959/
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.