U.S. inflation · 1955–1959
$100 in 1955 has the same buying power as
$109
in 1959
| Cumulative price change | 8.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.08% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $109 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $8.58 |
| CPI in 1955 | 26.8 |
| CPI in 1959 | 29.1 |
| Inflation in 1955 | -0.37% |
| Inflation in 1959 | 0.69% |
| $100 in 1955 → 1959 | $109 |
| $100 in 1959 → 1955 | $92.10 |
Between 1955 and 1959, the Consumer Price Index went from 26.8 to 29.1. Cumulatively, prices increased 8.6%, which works out to an average of 2.08% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1955 bought what $0.92 buys in 1959.
| Amount in 1955 | Value in 1959 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.09 |
| $5.00 | $5.43 |
| $10.00 | $10.86 |
| $20.00 | $21.72 |
| $50.00 | $54.29 |
| $100 | $109 |
| $500 | $543 |
| $1,000 | $1,086 |
| $5,000 | $5,429 |
| $10,000 | $10,858 |
| $100,000 | $108,582 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,085,821 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1955 spending costs in 1959, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1955 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.08% | $109 |
| Medical care | 4.25% | $118 |
| Transportation | 3.67% | $116 |
| Food | 1.67% | $107 |
| Apparel | 1.20% | $105 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1955: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1955 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $100 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $101 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $105 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $108 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $109 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1955 to 1959: $100 is worth $109 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1955-to-1959/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1955 to 1959. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1955-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.