Chicago, Illinois prices: $2,500 in 1955 $21,576.97 in 2018

Inflation in Illinois

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Prices in Chicago, 1955-2018 ($2,500)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Chicago, Illinois were 763.08% higher in 2018 versus 1955 (a $19,076.97 difference in value).

Between 1955 and 2018: Chicago experienced an average inflation rate of 3.48% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $2,500 in Chicago in the year 1955 would cost $21,576.97 in 2018 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.62% during this same period, inflation in Chicago was lower.

In the year 1955: Pricing changed by 0.67%, which is below the average yearly change in Chicago during the 1955-2018 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1955 (-0.29%), inflation in Chicago was higher.

Price Inflation in Chicago, Illinois since 1914

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1919 (21.36%), 1920 (19.10%), and 1918 (16.80%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $2,500.00 since 1955

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Chicago, over time, for $2,500 beginning in 1955. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1955$2,500.000.67%
1956$2,534.801.39%
1957$2,617.253.25%
1958$2,696.673.03%
1959$2,718.610.81%
1960$2,756.431.39%
1961$2,770.050.49%
1962$2,798.791.04%
1963$2,826.781.00%
1964$2,838.120.40%
1965$2,875.951.33%
1966$2,962.183.00%
1967$3,039.332.60%
1968$3,167.934.23%
1969$3,341.155.47%
1970$3,532.535.73%
1971$3,671.713.94%
1972$3,776.102.84%
1973$4,012.866.27%
1974$4,437.2210.57%
1975$4,787.447.89%
1976$5,016.644.79%
1977$5,332.076.29%
1978$5,795.768.70%
1979$6,518.9112.48%
1980$7,459.1514.42%
1981$8,173.229.57%
1982$8,730.716.82%
1983$9,078.673.99%
1984$9,421.333.77%
1985$9,776.853.77%
1986$9,981.092.09%
1987$10,392.594.12%
1988$10,798.793.91%
1989$11,344.935.06%
1990$11,954.615.37%
1991$12,439.494.06%
1992$12,804.082.93%
1993$13,198.943.08%
1994$13,487.902.19%
1995$13,916.793.18%
1996$14,288.962.67%
1997$14,680.032.74%
1998$14,975.792.01%
1999$15,285.932.07%
2000$15,776.853.21%
2001$16,187.592.60%
2002$16,445.541.59%
2003$16,748.111.84%
2004$17,122.542.24%
2005$17,640.703.03%
2006$18,002.272.05%
2007$18,591.613.27%
2008$19,292.193.77%
2009$19,061.58-1.20%
2010$19,322.581.37%
2011$19,850.302.73%
2012$20,151.721.52%
2013$20,382.311.14%
2014$20,738.371.75%
2015$20,677.07-0.30%
2016$20,814.080.66%
2017$21,205.261.88%
2018$21,576.971.75%
2019$21,892.341.46%
2020$22,136.711.12%
2021$23,070.424.22%
2022$24,812.967.55%
2023$25,638.383.33%
2024$26,024.931.51%*

* 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 Chicago, Illinois:

Year191419151916191719181919192019211922192319241925192619271928192919301931193219331934193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI10.00010.01710.31711.75813.73316.66719.85018.17517.16717.37517.71718.10818.42518.25817.69217.65017.45815.95814.08312.63312.71713.26713.53314.09213.99213.71713.79214.51715.95816.85017.10817.47519.03322.10824.03324.00824.25026.15826.72526.95827.35827.54227.92528.83329.70829.95030.36730.51730.83331.14231.26731.68332.63333.48334.90036.80838.91740.45041.60044.20848.88352.74255.26758.74263.85071.81782.17590.04296.183100.017103.792107.708109.958114.492118.967124.983131.700137.042141.058145.408148.592153.317157.417161.725164.983168.400173.808178.333181.175184.508188.633194.342198.325204.818212.536209.995212.870218.684222.005224.545228.468227.792229.302233.611237.706241.181243.873254.159273.356282.450286.708

Adjust Chicago prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2018 / CPI in 1955 * 1955 USD value = 2018 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Chicago, Illinois was 27.542 in the year 1955 and 237.706 in 2018:

237.706 / 27.542 * $2,500 = $21,576.97

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $2,500 in 1955 has the same "purchasing power" as $21,576.97 in 2018 (in the CPI category of Chicago, Illinois).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Chicago, Illinois in 1914. In addition to Chicago, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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