According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,767.68% higher in 2024 versus 1939 (a $8,838.38 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2024: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.50% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $500 in the year 1939 would cost $9,338.38 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.72% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1939: Pricing changed by -2.19%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1939-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1939 (-1.31%), inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $500 beginning in 1939. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
---|---|---|
1939 | $500.00 | -2.19% |
1940 | $497.20 | -0.56% |
1941 | $516.08 | 3.80% |
1942 | $560.14 | 8.54% |
1943 | $556.64 | -0.62% |
1944 | $555.94 | -0.13% |
1945 | $555.94 | 0.00% ** |
1946 | $589.51 | 6.04% |
1947 | $645.24 | 9.45% |
1948 | $719.47 | 11.50% |
1949 | $773.27 | 7.48% |
1950 | $793.17 | 2.57% |
1951 | $844.00 | 6.41% |
1952 | $899.68 | 6.60% |
1953 | $925.50 | 2.87% |
1954 | $912.05 | -1.45% |
1955 | $901.02 | -1.21% |
1956 | $917.16 | 1.79% |
1957 | $968.26 | 5.57% |
1958 | $1,000.27 | 3.31% |
1959 | $1,041.69 | 4.14% |
1960 | $1,041.42 | -0.03% |
1961 | $1,053.25 | 1.14% |
1962 | $1,075.31 | 2.09% |
1963 | $1,081.23 | 0.55% |
1964 | $1,097.36 | 1.49% |
1965 | $1,115.38 | 1.64% |
1966 | $1,131.25 | 1.42% |
1967 | $1,163.53 | 2.85% |
1968 | $1,200.65 | 3.19% |
1969 | $1,246.91 | 3.85% |
1970 | $1,310.92 | 5.13% |
1971 | $1,379.77 | 5.25% |
1972 | $1,395.91 | 1.17% |
1973 | $1,440.02 | 3.16% |
1974 | $1,601.40 | 11.21% |
1975 | $1,751.75 | 9.39% |
1976 | $1,926.04 | 9.95% |
1977 | $2,061.86 | 7.05% |
1978 | $2,158.42 | 4.68% |
1979 | $2,466.11 | 14.26% |
1980 | $2,905.33 | 17.81% |
1981 | $3,257.13 | 12.11% |
1982 | $3,391.34 | 4.12% |
1983 | $3,472.30 | 2.39% |
1984 | $3,626.41 | 4.44% |
1985 | $3,722.16 | 2.64% |
1986 | $3,577.46 | -3.89% |
1987 | $3,685.58 | 3.02% |
1988 | $3,799.35 | 3.09% |
1989 | $3,989.51 | 5.00% |
1990 | $4,213.82 | 5.62% |
1991 | $4,329.75 | 2.75% |
1992 | $4,424.42 | 2.19% |
1993 | $4,558.10 | 3.02% |
1994 | $4,695.80 | 3.02% |
1995 | $4,863.91 | 3.58% |
1996 | $5,001.08 | 2.82% |
1997 | $5,044.65 | 0.87% |
1998 | $4,949.44 | -1.89% |
1999 | $5,048.95 | 2.01% |
2000 | $5,361.22 | 6.18% |
2001 | $5,393.49 | 0.60% |
2002 | $5,344.81 | -0.90% |
2003 | $5,509.14 | 3.07% |
2004 | $5,702.80 | 3.52% |
2005 | $6,080.69 | 6.63% |
2006 | $6,323.83 | 4.00% |
2007 | $6,457.40 | 2.11% |
2008 | $6,837.39 | 5.88% |
2009 | $6,267.57 | -8.33% |
2010 | $6,762.10 | 7.89% |
2011 | $7,425.38 | 9.81% |
2012 | $7,599.21 | 2.34% |
2013 | $7,601.80 | 0.03% |
2014 | $7,550.32 | -0.68% |
2015 | $6,960.37 | -7.81% |
2016 | $6,814.46 | -2.10% |
2017 | $7,047.73 | 3.42% |
2018 | $7,365.86 | 4.51% |
2019 | $7,345.04 | -0.28% |
2020 | $7,039.66 | -4.16% |
2021 | $8,064.93 | 14.56% |
2022 | $9,312.23 | 15.47% |
2023 | $9,334.91 | 0.24% |
2024 | $9,338.38 | 0.04%* |
* 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 Transportation:
Year | 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 |
CPI | 14.200 | 14.267 | 14.560 | 14.620 | 14.300 | 14.220 | 14.760 | 16.020 | 15.920 | 15.900 | 15.900 | 16.860 | 18.454 | 20.577 | 22.115 | 22.685 | 24.138 | 25.731 | 26.469 | 26.085 | 25.769 | 26.231 | 27.692 | 28.608 | 29.792 | 29.785 | 30.123 | 30.754 | 30.923 | 31.385 | 31.900 | 32.354 | 33.277 | 34.338 | 35.662 | 37.492 | 39.462 | 39.923 | 41.185 | 45.800 | 50.100 | 55.085 | 58.969 | 61.731 | 70.531 | 83.092 | 93.154 | 96.992 | 99.308 | 103.715 | 106.454 | 102.315 | 105.408 | 108.662 | 114.100 | 120.515 | 123.831 | 126.538 | 130.362 | 134.300 | 139.108 | 143.031 | 144.277 | 141.554 | 144.400 | 153.331 | 154.254 | 152.862 | 157.562 | 163.100 | 173.908 | 180.862 | 184.682 | 195.549 | 179.252 | 193.396 | 212.366 | 217.337 | 217.412 | 215.939 | 199.067 | 194.894 | 201.565 | 210.664 | 210.068 | 201.334 | 230.657 | 266.330 | 266.978 | 267.078 |