According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Houston, Texas are 1,995.68% higher in 2025 versus 1940 (a $752,652.02 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2025: Houston experienced an average inflation rate of 3.64% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $37,714 in Houston in the year 1940 would cost $790,366.02 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.75% during this same period, inflation in Houston was lower.
In the year 1940: Pricing changed by 0.25%, which is significantly below the average yearly change in Houston during the 1940-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1940 (0.72%), inflation in Houston was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Houston, over time, for $37,714 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 | $37,714.00 | 0.25% |
| 1941 | $39,353.74 | 4.35% |
| 1942 | $43,464.97 | 10.45% |
| 1943 | $45,770.11 | 5.30% |
| 1944 | $46,197.87 | 0.93% |
| 1945 | $47,172.21 | 2.11% |
| 1946 | $50,903.21 | 7.91% |
| 1947 | $59,838.60 | 17.55% |
| 1948 | $64,829.11 | 8.34% |
| 1949 | $64,638.99 | -0.29% |
| 1950 | $66,587.67 | 3.01% |
| 1951 | $71,910.88 | 7.99% |
| 1952 | $72,790.16 | 1.22% |
| 1953 | $73,550.62 | 1.04% |
| 1954 | $73,669.44 | 0.16% |
| 1955 | $73,004.04 | -0.90% |
| 1956 | $74,120.96 | 1.53% |
| 1957 | $76,568.69 | 3.30% |
| 1958 | $77,899.49 | 1.74% |
| 1959 | $78,446.07 | 0.70% |
| 1960 | $79,349.12 | 1.15% |
| 1961 | $79,634.29 | 0.36% |
| 1962 | $81,226.50 | 2.00% |
| 1963 | $81,915.66 | 0.85% |
| 1964 | $83,175.17 | 1.54% |
| 1965 | $84,173.28 | 1.20% |
| 1966 | $86,407.12 | 2.65% |
| 1967 | $88,688.50 | 2.64% |
| 1968 | $92,253.15 | 4.02% |
| 1969 | $98,241.76 | 6.49% |
| 1970 | $103,446.15 | 5.30% |
| 1971 | $107,295.97 | 3.72% |
| 1972 | $111,003.21 | 3.46% |
| 1973 | $116,849.24 | 5.27% |
| 1974 | $129,895.86 | 11.17% |
| 1975 | $145,722.90 | 12.18% |
| 1976 | $156,773.32 | 7.58% |
| 1977 | $168,108.91 | 7.23% |
| 1978 | $183,983.48 | 9.44% |
| 1979 | $208,413.22 | 13.28% |
| 1980 | $234,981.75 | 12.75% |
| 1981 | $258,484.67 | 10.00% |
| 1982 | $277,044.62 | 7.18% |
| 1983 | $284,934.38 | 2.85% |
| 1984 | $292,372.62 | 2.61% |
| 1985 | $298,931.57 | 2.24% |
| 1986 | $296,531.37 | -0.80% |
| 1987 | $303,161.62 | 2.24% |
| 1988 | $311,930.66 | 2.89% |
| 1989 | $324,858.46 | 4.14% |
| 1990 | $342,895.59 | 5.55% |
| 1991 | $356,369.97 | 3.93% |
| 1992 | $367,848.14 | 3.22% |
| 1993 | $379,706.55 | 3.22% |
| 1994 | $392,990.81 | 3.50% |
| 1995 | $398,409.08 | 1.38% |
| 1996 | $406,679.07 | 2.08% |
| 1997 | $414,354.95 | 1.89% |
| 1998 | $418,513.71 | 1.00% |
| 1999 | $423,718.10 | 1.24% |
| 2000 | $439,046.09 | 3.62% |
| 2001 | $452,639.29 | 3.10% |
| 2002 | $453,827.51 | 0.26% |
| 2003 | $466,327.55 | 2.75% |
| 2004 | $482,629.88 | 3.50% |
| 2005 | $500,049.14 | 3.61% |
| 2006 | $514,878.09 | 2.97% |
| 2007 | $523,419.46 | 1.66% |
| 2008 | $541,778.36 | 3.51% |
| 2009 | $542,646.24 | 0.16% |
| 2010 | $553,303.83 | 1.96% |
| 2011 | $571,046.52 | 3.21% |
| 2012 | $582,123.08 | 1.94% |
| 2013 | $591,072.49 | 1.54% |
| 2014 | $608,179.96 | 2.89% |
| 2015 | $607,602.48 | -0.09% |
| 2016 | $616,661.69 | 1.49% |
| 2017 | $629,207.83 | 2.03% |
| 2018 | $644,326.94 | 2.40% |
| 2019 | $652,333.85 | 1.24% |
| 2020 | $652,982.86 | 0.10% |
| 2021 | $680,263.36 | 4.18% |
| 2022 | $736,528.28 | 8.27% |
| 2023 | $762,721.80 | 3.56% |
| 2024 | $781,850.67 | 2.51% |
| 2025 | $790,366.02 | 1.09%* |
* 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 Houston, Texas:
| Year | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 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 |
| CPI | 9.500 | 9.500 | 9.617 | 11.092 | 13.425 | 16.367 | 19.133 | 17.450 | 15.908 | 15.892 | 15.842 | 16.083 | 16.167 | 15.833 | 15.633 | 15.617 | 15.508 | 14.142 | 12.708 | 11.683 | 12.225 | 12.692 | 12.833 | 13.317 | 13.308 | 13.192 | 13.225 | 13.800 | 15.242 | 16.050 | 16.200 | 16.542 | 17.850 | 20.983 | 22.733 | 22.667 | 23.350 | 25.217 | 25.525 | 25.792 | 25.833 | 25.600 | 25.992 | 26.850 | 27.317 | 27.508 | 27.825 | 27.925 | 28.483 | 28.725 | 29.167 | 29.517 | 30.300 | 31.100 | 32.350 | 34.450 | 36.275 | 37.625 | 38.925 | 40.975 | 45.550 | 51.100 | 54.975 | 58.950 | 64.517 | 73.083 | 82.400 | 90.642 | 97.150 | 99.917 | 102.525 | 104.825 | 103.983 | 106.308 | 109.383 | 113.917 | 120.242 | 124.967 | 128.992 | 133.150 | 137.808 | 139.708 | 142.608 | 145.300 | 146.758 | 148.583 | 153.958 | 158.725 | 159.142 | 163.525 | 169.242 | 175.350 | 180.550 | 183.545 | 189.983 | 190.287 | 194.025 | 200.246 | 204.130 | 207.269 | 213.268 | 213.065 | 216.242 | 220.641 | 225.943 | 228.751 | 228.979 | 238.545 | 258.275 | 267.460 | 274.168 | 277.154 |