Atlanta price inflation, 1940→2026

Inflation in Georgia

Prices in Atlanta, 1940-2026 ($1,821)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Atlanta, Georgia are 2,251.18% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $40,994.08 difference in value).

Between 1940 and 2026:Atlanta experienced an average inflation rate of 3.74% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $1,821 in Atlanta in the year 1940 would cost $42,815.08 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.73% during this same period, inflation in Atlanta was higher.

In the year 1940: Pricing changed by -0.31%, which is significantly below the average yearly change in Atlanta during the 1940-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1940 (0.72%), inflation in Atlanta was lower.

Price Inflation in Atlanta, Georgia since 1917

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1998 (37.33%), 1919 (21.47%), and 1947 (16.95%).

View price changes for other categories
Rent of primary residence · College tuition and fees · Milk · Film and photographic supplies · More

Buying power of $1,821.00 since 1940

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Atlanta, over time, for $1,821 beginning in 1940. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1940	$1,821.00	-0.31%
1941	$1,907.93	4.77%
1942	$2,116.33	10.92%
1943	$2,267.89	7.16%
1944	$2,310.24	1.87%
1945	$2,391.59	3.52%
1946	$2,537.59	6.10%
1947	$2,967.76	16.95%
1948	$3,176.16	7.02%
1949	$3,181.74	0.18%
1950	$3,205.14	0.74%
1951	$3,510.50	9.53%
1952	$3,608.57	2.79%
1953	$3,648.69	1.11%
1954	$3,644.23	-0.12%
1955	$3,620.83	-0.64%
1956	$3,673.20	1.45%
1957	$3,772.39	2.70%
1958	$3,873.80	2.69%
1959	$3,896.09	0.58%
1960	$3,958.50	1.60%
1961	$3,979.68	0.53%
1962	$4,012.00	0.81%
1963	$4,043.20	0.78%
1964	$4,107.84	1.60%
1965	$4,161.33	1.30%
1966	$4,286.15	3.00%
1967	$4,424.34	3.22%
1968	$4,597.08	3.90%
1969	$4,863.43	5.79%
1970	$5,142.04	5.73%
1971	$5,384.99	4.72%
1972	$5,551.04	3.08%
1973	$5,886.49	6.04%
1974	$6,525.06	10.85%
1975	$7,135.78	9.36%
1976	$7,480.14	4.83%
1977	$7,920.35	5.88%
1978	$8,513.23	7.49%
1979	$9,382.50	10.21%
1980	$10,681.94	13.85%
1981	$12,019.27	12.52%
1982	$12,813.87	6.61%
1983	$13,341.00	4.11%
1984	$13,903.79	4.22%
1985	$14,533.45	4.53%
1986	$14,988.15	3.13%
1987	$15,178.71	1.27%
1988	$15,178.71	0.00% **
1989	$15,178.71	0.00% **
1990	$15,178.71	0.00% **
1991	$15,178.71	0.00% **
1992	$15,178.71	0.00% **
1993	$15,178.71	0.00% **
1994	$15,178.71	0.00% **
1995	$15,178.71	0.00% **
1996	$15,178.71	0.00% **
1997	$15,690.24	3.37%
1998	$21,546.64	37.33%
1999	$22,008.02	2.14%
2000	$22,784.79	3.53%
2001	$23,551.53	3.37%
2002	$23,825.68	1.16%
2003	$24,166.70	1.43%
2004	$24,470.94	1.26%
2005	$25,236.56	3.13%
2006	$25,887.40	2.58%
2007	$26,704.21	3.16%
2008	$27,643.03	3.52%
2009	$26,860.59	-2.83%
2010	$27,199.02	1.26%
2011	$27,930.27	2.69%
2012	$28,442.53	1.83%
2013	$28,894.51	1.59%
2014	$29,539.73	2.23%
2015	$29,637.22	0.33%
2016	$30,124.98	1.65%
2017	$31,106.78	3.26%
2018	$31,877.16	2.48%
2019	$32,539.26	2.08%
2020	$32,960.11	1.29%
2021	$34,900.11	5.89%
2022	$38,635.45	10.70%
2023	$40,608.41	5.11%
2024	$41,668.67	2.61%
2025	$42,458.44	1.90%
2026	$42,815.08	0.84%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.

Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Atlanta, Georgia:

Year	1917	1918	1919	1920	1921	1922	1923	1924	1925	1926	1927	1928	1929	1930	1931	1932	1933	1934	1935	1936	1937	1938	1939	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	1946	1947	1948	1949	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955	1956	1957	1958	1959	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
CPI	15.200	15.450	18.767	21.900	19.392	17.517	17.542	17.333	17.683	18.108	17.900	17.308	17.183	16.692	15.150	13.583	12.575	13.067	13.475	13.742	14.092	13.800	13.658	13.617	14.267	15.825	16.958	17.275	17.883	18.975	22.192	23.750	23.792	23.967	26.250	26.983	27.283	27.250	27.075	27.467	28.208	28.967	29.133	29.600	29.758	30.000	30.233	30.717	31.117	32.050	33.083	34.375	36.367	38.450	40.267	41.508	44.017	48.792	53.358	55.933	59.225	63.658	70.158	79.875	89.875	95.817	99.758	103.967	108.675	112.075	113.500	113.500	113.500	113.500	113.500	113.500	113.500	113.500	113.500	113.500	117.325	161.117	164.567	170.375	176.108	178.158	180.708	182.983	188.708	193.575	199.683	206.703	200.852	203.383	208.851	212.681	216.061	220.886	221.615	225.262	232.603	238.364	243.315	246.462	260.968	288.899	303.652	311.581	317.486	320.153

Adjust Atlanta prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2026 / CPI in 1940* 1940 USD value = 2026 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Atlanta, Georgia was 13.617 in the year 1940 and 320.153 in 2026:

320.153 / 13.617* $1,821 = $42,815.08

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $1,821 in 1940 has the same "purchasing power" as $42,815.08 in 2026 (in the CPI category of Atlanta, Georgia).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Atlanta, Georgia in 1917. In addition to Atlanta, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.