U.S. inflation · 1959–1961
$100 in 1959 has the same buying power as
$103
in 1961
| Cumulative price change | 2.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.37% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $103 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $2.75 |
| CPI in 1959 | 29.1 |
| CPI in 1961 | 29.9 |
| Inflation in 1959 | 0.69% |
| Inflation in 1961 | 1.01% |
| $100 in 1959 → 1961 | $103 |
| $100 in 1961 → 1959 | $97.32 |
Between 1959 and 1961, the Consumer Price Index went from 29.1 to 29.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 2.7%, which works out to an average of 1.37% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1959 bought what $0.97 buys in 1961.
| Amount in 1959 | Value in 1961 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.03 |
| $5.00 | $5.14 |
| $10.00 | $10.27 |
| $20.00 | $20.55 |
| $50.00 | $51.37 |
| $100 | $103 |
| $500 | $514 |
| $1,000 | $1,027 |
| $5,000 | $5,137 |
| $10,000 | $10,275 |
| $100,000 | $102,749 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,027,491 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1959 spending costs in 1961, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1959 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.37% | $103 |
| Medical care | 3.20% | $107 |
| Energy | 1.36% | $103 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 1.32% | $103 |
| Apparel | 1.21% | $102 |
| Food | 1.17% | $102 |
| Transportation | 0.50% | $101 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1959: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1959 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $100 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $102 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $103 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1959 to 1961: $100 is worth $103 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1959-to-1961/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1959 to 1961. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1959-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.