U.S. inflation · 1954–1959
$100 in 1954 has the same buying power as
$108
in 1959
| Cumulative price change | 8.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.58% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $108 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $8.18 |
| CPI in 1954 | 26.9 |
| CPI in 1959 | 29.1 |
| Inflation in 1954 | 0.75% |
| Inflation in 1959 | 0.69% |
| $100 in 1954 → 1959 | $108 |
| $100 in 1959 → 1954 | $92.44 |
Between 1954 and 1959, the Consumer Price Index went from 26.9 to 29.1. Cumulatively, prices increased 8.2%, which works out to an average of 1.58% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1954 bought what $0.92 buys in 1959.
| Amount in 1954 | Value in 1959 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.08 |
| $5.00 | $5.41 |
| $10.00 | $10.82 |
| $20.00 | $21.64 |
| $50.00 | $54.09 |
| $100 | $108 |
| $500 | $541 |
| $1,000 | $1,082 |
| $5,000 | $5,409 |
| $10,000 | $10,818 |
| $100,000 | $108,178 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,081,784 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1954 spending costs in 1959, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1954 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.58% | $108 |
| Medical care | 3.85% | $121 |
| Transportation | 2.69% | $114 |
| Food | 1.04% | $105 |
| Apparel | 0.87% | $104 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1954: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1954 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $100 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $99.63 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $101 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $104 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $107 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $108 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1954 to 1959: $100 is worth $108 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1954-to-1959/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1954 to 1959. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1954-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.