U.S. inflation · 1957–1961
$100 in 1957 has the same buying power as
$106
in 1961
| Cumulative price change | 6.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.56% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $106 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $6.41 |
| CPI in 1957 | 28.1 |
| CPI in 1961 | 29.9 |
| Inflation in 1957 | 3.31% |
| Inflation in 1961 | 1.01% |
| $100 in 1957 → 1961 | $106 |
| $100 in 1961 → 1957 | $93.98 |
Between 1957 and 1961, the Consumer Price Index went from 28.1 to 29.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 6.4%, which works out to an average of 1.56% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1957 bought what $0.94 buys in 1961.
| Amount in 1957 | Value in 1961 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.06 |
| $5.00 | $5.32 |
| $10.00 | $10.64 |
| $20.00 | $21.28 |
| $50.00 | $53.20 |
| $100 | $106 |
| $500 | $532 |
| $1,000 | $1,064 |
| $5,000 | $5,320 |
| $10,000 | $10,641 |
| $100,000 | $106,406 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,064,057 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1957 spending costs in 1961, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1957 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.56% | $106 |
| Medical care | 3.83% | $116 |
| Transportation | 2.10% | $109 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 1.77% | $107 |
| Food | 1.27% | $105 |
| Energy | 1.14% | $105 |
| Apparel | 0.89% | $104 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1957: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1957 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $100 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $103 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $104 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $105 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $106 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1957 to 1961: $100 is worth $106 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1957-to-1961/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1957 to 1961. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1957-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.