U.S. inflation · 1955–1961
$100 in 1955 has the same buying power as
$112
in 1961
| Cumulative price change | 11.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.84% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $112 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $11.57 |
| CPI in 1955 | 26.8 |
| CPI in 1961 | 29.9 |
| Inflation in 1955 | -0.37% |
| Inflation in 1961 | 1.01% |
| $100 in 1955 → 1961 | $112 |
| $100 in 1961 → 1955 | $89.63 |
Between 1955 and 1961, the Consumer Price Index went from 26.8 to 29.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 11.6%, which works out to an average of 1.84% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1955 bought what $0.90 buys in 1961.
| Amount in 1955 | Value in 1961 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.12 |
| $5.00 | $5.58 |
| $10.00 | $11.16 |
| $20.00 | $22.31 |
| $50.00 | $55.78 |
| $100 | $112 |
| $500 | $558 |
| $1,000 | $1,116 |
| $5,000 | $5,578 |
| $10,000 | $11,157 |
| $100,000 | $111,567 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,115,672 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1955 spending costs in 1961, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1955 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.84% | $112 |
| Medical care | 3.90% | $126 |
| Transportation | 2.60% | $117 |
| Food | 1.50% | $109 |
| Apparel | 1.21% | $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 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $112 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1955 to 1961: $100 is worth $112 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1955-to-1961/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1955 to 1961. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1955-to-1961/
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.