U.S. inflation · 1952–2016
$100 in 1952 has the same buying power as
$906
in 2016
| Cumulative price change | 805.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.50% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $906 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $806 |
| CPI in 1952 | 26.5 |
| CPI in 2016 | 240.007 |
| Inflation in 1952 | 1.92% |
| Inflation in 2016 | 1.26% |
| $100 in 1952 → 2016 | $906 |
| $100 in 2016 → 1952 | $11.04 |
Between 1952 and 2016, the Consumer Price Index went from 26.5 to 240.007. Cumulatively, prices increased 805.7%, which works out to an average of 3.50% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1952 bought what $0.11 buys in 2016.
| Amount in 1952 | Value in 2016 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $9.06 |
| $5.00 | $45.28 |
| $10.00 | $90.57 |
| $20.00 | $181 |
| $50.00 | $453 |
| $100 | $906 |
| $500 | $4,528 |
| $1,000 | $9,057 |
| $5,000 | $45,284 |
| $10,000 | $90,569 |
| $100,000 | $905,687 |
| $1,000,000 | $9,056,868 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1952 spending costs in 2016, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1952 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.50% | $906 |
| Medical care | 5.33% | $2,776 |
| Food | 3.43% | $864 |
| Transportation | 3.22% | $758 |
| Apparel | 1.68% | $290 |
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 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $106 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $114 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $126 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $158 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $229 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $364 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $429 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $529 |
| 1997 | 160.5 | 2.3% | $606 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $679 |
| 2007 | 207.342 | 2.8% | $782 |
| 2012 | 229.594 | 2.1% | $866 |
| 2016 | 240.007 | 1.3% | $906 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1952 to 2016: $100 is worth $906 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1952-to-2016/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1952 to 2016. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1952-to-2016/
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.