U.S. inflation · 1955–1960
$100 in 1955 has the same buying power as
$110
in 1960
| Cumulative price change | 10.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.01% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $110 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $10.45 |
| CPI in 1955 | 26.8 |
| CPI in 1960 | 29.6 |
| Inflation in 1955 | -0.37% |
| Inflation in 1960 | 1.72% |
| $100 in 1955 → 1960 | $110 |
| $100 in 1960 → 1955 | $90.54 |
Between 1955 and 1960, the Consumer Price Index went from 26.8 to 29.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 10.4%, which works out to an average of 2.01% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1955 bought what $0.91 buys in 1960.
| Amount in 1955 | Value in 1960 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.10 |
| $5.00 | $5.52 |
| $10.00 | $11.04 |
| $20.00 | $22.09 |
| $50.00 | $55.22 |
| $100 | $110 |
| $500 | $552 |
| $1,000 | $1,104 |
| $5,000 | $5,522 |
| $10,000 | $11,045 |
| $100,000 | $110,448 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,104,478 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1955 spending costs in 1960, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1955 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.01% | $110 |
| Medical care | 4.15% | $123 |
| Transportation | 2.92% | $116 |
| Food | 1.53% | $108 |
| Apparel | 1.27% | $107 |
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 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $110 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1955 to 1960: $100 is worth $110 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1955-to-1960/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1955 to 1960. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1955-to-1960/
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.