U.S. inflation · 1956–1961
$100 in 1956 has the same buying power as
$110
in 1961
| Cumulative price change | 9.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.91% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $110 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $9.93 |
| CPI in 1956 | 27.2 |
| CPI in 1961 | 29.9 |
| Inflation in 1956 | 1.49% |
| Inflation in 1961 | 1.01% |
| $100 in 1956 → 1961 | $110 |
| $100 in 1961 → 1956 | $90.97 |
Between 1956 and 1961, the Consumer Price Index went from 27.2 to 29.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 9.9%, which works out to an average of 1.91% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1956 bought what $0.91 buys in 1961.
| Amount in 1956 | Value in 1961 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.10 |
| $5.00 | $5.50 |
| $10.00 | $10.99 |
| $20.00 | $21.99 |
| $50.00 | $54.96 |
| $100 | $110 |
| $500 | $550 |
| $1,000 | $1,099 |
| $5,000 | $5,496 |
| $10,000 | $10,993 |
| $100,000 | $109,926 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,099,265 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1956 spending costs in 1961, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1956 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.91% | $110 |
| Medical care | 3.91% | $121 |
| Transportation | 2.81% | $115 |
| Food | 1.66% | $109 |
| Apparel | 1.08% | $105 |
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 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $107 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $109 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $110 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1956 to 1961: $100 is worth $110 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1956-to-1961/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1956 to 1961. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1956-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.