U.S. inflation · 1956–1958
$100 in 1956 has the same buying power as
$106
in 1958
| Cumulative price change | 6.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.08% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $106 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $6.25 |
| CPI in 1956 | 27.2 |
| CPI in 1958 | 28.9 |
| Inflation in 1956 | 1.49% |
| Inflation in 1958 | 2.85% |
| $100 in 1956 → 1958 | $106 |
| $100 in 1958 → 1956 | $94.12 |
Between 1956 and 1958, the Consumer Price Index went from 27.2 to 28.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 6.3%, which works out to an average of 3.08% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1956 bought what $0.94 buys in 1958.
| Amount in 1956 | Value in 1958 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.06 |
| $5.00 | $5.31 |
| $10.00 | $10.63 |
| $20.00 | $21.25 |
| $50.00 | $53.13 |
| $100 | $106 |
| $500 | $531 |
| $1,000 | $1,063 |
| $5,000 | $5,313 |
| $10,000 | $10,625 |
| $100,000 | $106,250 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,062,500 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1956 spending costs in 1958, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1956 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.08% | $106 |
| Transportation | 4.48% | $109 |
| Medical care | 4.40% | $109 |
| Food | 3.85% | $108 |
| Apparel | 1.02% | $102 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1956: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1956 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $100 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $103 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $106 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1956 to 1958: $100 is worth $106 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1956-to-1958/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1956 to 1958. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1956-to-1958/
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.