Detroit, Michigan prices: $20,000 in 1950 $189,120.50 in 2018

Inflation in Michigan

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Prices in Detroit, 1950-2018 ($20,000)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Detroit, Michigan were 845.60% higher in 2018 versus 1950 (a $169,120.50 difference in value).

Between 1950 and 2018: Detroit experienced an average inflation rate of 3.36% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $20,000 in Detroit in the year 1950 would cost $189,120.50 in 2018 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.51% during this same period, inflation in Detroit was lower.

In the year 1950: Pricing changed by 1.66%, which is below the average yearly change in Detroit during the 1950-2018 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1950 (1.10%), inflation in Detroit was higher.

Price Inflation in Detroit, Michigan since 1914

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1920 (21.92%), 1918 (21.89%), and 1919 (21.46%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $20,000.00 since 1950

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Detroit, over time, for $20,000 beginning in 1950. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1950$20,000.001.66%
1951$21,568.237.84%
1952$22,111.342.52%
1953$22,505.091.78%
1954$22,586.560.36%
1955$22,545.82-0.18%
1956$22,966.731.87%
1957$23,638.832.93%
1958$23,964.701.38%
1959$23,957.91-0.03%
1960$24,154.790.82%
1961$24,290.560.56%
1962$24,365.240.31%
1963$24,602.850.98%
1964$24,806.520.83%
1965$25,376.782.30%
1966$26,503.734.44%
1967$27,393.083.36%
1968$28,574.344.31%
1969$30,312.296.08%
1970$32,186.016.18%
1971$33,360.493.65%
1972$34,596.063.70%
1973$36,849.976.51%
1974$40,841.8210.83%
1975$43,883.237.45%
1976$46,266.125.43%
1977$49,443.316.87%
1978$53,197.567.59%
1979$59,959.2712.71%
1980$69,490.8415.90%
1981$75,940.269.28%
1982$79,015.614.05%
1983$81,269.522.85%
1984$84,114.053.50%
1985$87,040.053.48%
1986$88,255.261.40%
1987$90,930.073.03%
1988$94,385.613.80%
1989$99,395.795.31%
1990$104,507.815.14%
1991$108,323.153.65%
1992$110,597.422.10%
1993$113,584.522.70%
1994$117,169.043.16%
1995$120,868.973.16%
1996$124,141.212.71%
1997$127,209.782.47%
1998$130,027.162.21%
1999$133,414.802.61%
2000$138,105.913.52%
2001$142,023.082.84%
2002$145,566.872.50%
2003$148,649.022.12%
2004$150,930.071.53%
2005$155,241.002.86%
2006$160,000.003.07%
2007$162,910.051.82%
2008$166,879.842.44%
2009$165,581.87-0.78%
2010$166,990.770.85%
2011$172,272.983.16%
2012$175,931.162.12%
2013$178,748.401.60%
2014$180,685.131.08%
2015$178,303.53-1.32%
2016$180,907.061.46%
2017$184,585.342.03%
2018$189,120.502.46%
2019$191,623.761.32%
2020$193,575.081.02%
2021$201,580.924.14%
2022$218,125.538.21%
2023$229,996.065.44%
2024$231,450.920.63%*

* 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 Detroit, Michigan:

Year191419151916191719181919192019211922192319241925192619271928192919301931193219331934193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI9.7009.73310.23311.91714.52517.64221.50819.51717.44217.95818.05018.15818.46718.15817.52517.50817.21715.18313.25011.91712.59213.26713.82514.60814.53314.03314.11715.00016.65817.56717.80018.27519.86722.64224.46724.15024.55026.47527.14227.62527.72527.67528.19229.01729.41729.40829.65029.81729.90830.20030.45031.15032.53333.62535.07537.20839.50840.95042.46745.23350.13353.86756.79260.69265.30073.60085.30093.21796.99299.758103.250106.842108.333111.617115.858122.008128.283132.967135.758139.425143.825148.367152.383156.150159.608163.767169.525174.333178.683182.467185.267190.558196.400199.972204.845203.252204.981211.465215.956219.414221.791218.868222.063226.578232.145235.218237.613247.441267.749282.320284.106

Adjust Detroit prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2018 / CPI in 1950 * 1950 USD value = 2018 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Detroit, Michigan was 24.550 in the year 1950 and 232.145 in 2018:

232.145 / 24.550 * $20,000 = $189,120.50

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20,000 in 1950 has the same "purchasing power" as $189,120.50 in 2018 (in the CPI category of Detroit, Michigan).


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

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