According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for new vehicles were 623.32% higher in 2019 versus 1935 (a $305,426.90 difference in value).
Between 1935 and 2019: Vehicles experienced an average inflation rate of 2.38% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, vehicles costing $49,000 in the year 1935 would cost $354,426.90 in 2019 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.54% during this same period, inflation for vehicles was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Vehicles, over time, for $49,000 beginning in 1935. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
---|---|---|
1935 | $49,000.00 | - |
1936 | $49,241.38 | 0.49% |
1937 | $50,206.90 | 1.96% |
1938 | $52,620.69 | 4.81% |
1939 | $51,413.79 | -2.29% |
1940 | $51,655.17 | 0.47% |
1941 | $55,517.24 | 7.48% |
1942 | $55,517.24 | 0.00% ** |
1943 | $55,517.24 | 0.00% ** |
1944 | $55,517.24 | 0.00% ** |
1945 | $55,517.24 | 0.00% ** |
1946 | $55,517.24 | 0.00% ** |
1947 | $83,275.86 | 50.00% |
1948 | $90,710.34 | 8.93% |
1949 | $98,965.52 | 9.10% |
1950 | $99,496.55 | 0.54% |
1951 | $104,662.07 | 5.19% |
1952 | $113,303.45 | 8.26% |
1953 | $114,061.01 | 0.67% |
1954 | $112,259.95 | -1.58% |
1955 | $108,323.61 | -3.51% |
1956 | $111,368.70 | 2.81% |
1957 | $117,180.37 | 5.22% |
1958 | $120,949.60 | 3.22% |
1959 | $126,111.41 | 4.27% |
1960 | $124,477.45 | -1.30% |
1961 | $124,458.89 | -0.01% |
1962 | $123,976.13 | -0.39% |
1963 | $123,233.42 | -0.60% |
1964 | $122,880.64 | -0.29% |
1965 | $120,188.33 | -2.19% |
1966 | $118,015.92 | -1.81% |
1967 | $119,111.41 | 0.93% |
1968 | $122,360.74 | 2.73% |
1969 | $124,347.48 | 1.62% |
1970 | $128,246.68 | 3.14% |
1971 | $133,427.06 | 4.04% |
1972 | $132,257.29 | -0.88% |
1973 | $132,294.43 | 0.03% |
1974 | $139,962.86 | 5.80% |
1975 | $152,031.83 | 8.62% |
1976 | $161,649.87 | 6.33% |
1977 | $170,228.12 | 5.31% |
1978 | $183,206.90 | 7.62% |
1979 | $197,745.36 | 7.94% |
1980 | $213,546.42 | 7.99% |
1981 | $226,580.90 | 6.10% |
1982 | $235,289.12 | 3.84% |
1983 | $241,082.23 | 2.46% |
1984 | $247,729.44 | 2.76% |
1985 | $255,992.04 | 3.34% |
1986 | $266,965.52 | 4.29% |
1987 | $276,100.80 | 3.42% |
1988 | $281,244.03 | 1.86% |
1989 | $287,631.30 | 2.27% |
1990 | $293,034.48 | 1.88% |
1991 | $304,100.80 | 3.78% |
1992 | $311,880.64 | 2.56% |
1993 | $320,403.18 | 2.73% |
1994 | $332,100.80 | 3.65% |
1995 | $340,233.42 | 2.45% |
1996 | $346,787.80 | 1.93% |
1997 | $348,198.94 | 0.41% |
1998 | $346,230.77 | -0.57% |
1999 | $344,838.20 | -0.40% |
2000 | $344,578.25 | -0.08% |
2001 | $343,018.57 | -0.45% |
2002 | $337,931.03 | -1.48% |
2003 | $332,750.66 | -1.53% |
2004 | $330,838.20 | -0.57% |
2005 | $332,880.64 | 0.62% |
2006 | $332,100.80 | -0.23% |
2007 | $328,889.89 | -0.97% |
2008 | $323,915.81 | -1.51% |
2009 | $327,366.79 | 1.07% |
2010 | $333,116.63 | 1.76% |
2011 | $342,477.14 | 2.81% |
2012 | $348,146.39 | 1.66% |
2013 | $351,890.74 | 1.08% |
2014 | $353,077.21 | 0.34% |
2015 | $355,153.45 | 0.59% |
2016 | $355,690.61 | 0.15% |
2017 | $354,808.83 | -0.25% |
2018 | $353,105.81 | -0.48% |
2019 | $354,426.90 | 0.37% |
2020 | $356,276.42 | 0.52% |
2021 | $377,131.96 | 5.85% |
2022 | $416,331.41 | 10.39% |
2023 | $431,824.62 | 3.72% |
2024 | $430,808.97 | -0.24%* |
* 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 New vehicles:
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 | 20.300 | 20.400 | 20.800 | 21.800 | 21.300 | 21.400 | 23.000 | 23.000 | 23.000 | 23.000 | 23.000 | 23.000 | 34.500 | 37.580 | 41.000 | 41.220 | 43.360 | 46.940 | 47.254 | 46.508 | 44.877 | 46.138 | 48.546 | 50.108 | 52.246 | 51.569 | 51.562 | 51.362 | 51.054 | 50.908 | 49.792 | 48.892 | 49.346 | 50.692 | 51.515 | 53.131 | 55.277 | 54.792 | 54.808 | 57.985 | 62.985 | 66.969 | 70.523 | 75.900 | 81.923 | 88.469 | 93.869 | 97.477 | 99.877 | 102.631 | 106.054 | 110.600 | 114.385 | 116.515 | 119.162 | 121.400 | 125.985 | 129.208 | 132.738 | 137.585 | 140.954 | 143.669 | 144.254 | 143.438 | 142.862 | 142.754 | 142.108 | 140.000 | 137.854 | 137.062 | 137.908 | 137.585 | 136.254 | 134.194 | 135.623 | 138.005 | 141.883 | 144.232 | 145.783 | 146.275 | 147.135 | 147.358 | 146.992 | 146.287 | 146.834 | 147.600 | 156.240 | 172.480 | 178.899 | 178.478 |