Used cars and trucks priced at $1.57 in 1953 $8.43 in 2016

Used Cars And Trucks Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Used Cars And Trucks, 1953-2016 ($1.57)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for used cars and trucks were 436.79% higher in 2016 versus 1953 (a $6.86 difference in value).

Between 1953 and 2016: Used cars and trucks experienced an average inflation rate of 2.70% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, used cars and trucks costing $1.57 in the year 1953 would cost $8.43 in 2016 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.54% during this same period, inflation for used cars and trucks was lower.

In the year 1953: Pricing changed by -5.88%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for used cars and trucks during the 1953-2016 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1953 (0.81%), inflation for used cars and trucks was much lower.

Price Inflation for Used cars and trucks since 1952

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 2021 (26.63%), 1981 (23.43%), and 1975 (19.52%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $1.57 since 1953

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Used cars and trucks, over time, for $1.57 beginning in 1953. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1953$1.57-5.88%
1954$1.34-14.94%
1955$1.26-5.55%
1956$1.21-3.69%
1957$1.3611.94%
1958$1.413.69%
1959$1.5711.66%
1960$1.47-6.54%
1961$1.533.84%
1962$1.679.11%
1963$1.691.22%
1964$1.764.26%
1965$1.75-0.59%
1966$1.71-2.51%
1967$1.763.18%
1968$1.802.55%
1969$1.810.52%
1970$1.831.12%
1971$1.945.72%
1972$1.940.16%
1973$2.076.44%
1974$2.164.26%
1975$2.5819.52%
1976$2.9514.66%
1977$3.218.86%
1978$3.282.02%
1979$3.547.81%
1980$3.663.50%
1981$4.5223.43%
1982$5.2115.42%
1983$5.8011.20%
1984$6.6113.97%
1985$6.681.06%
1986$6.39-4.33%
1987$6.643.96%
1988$6.934.31%
1989$7.072.09%
1990$6.91-2.38%
1991$6.940.47%
1992$7.234.27%
1993$7.868.70%
1994$8.325.81%
1995$9.1910.44%
1996$9.220.37%
1997$8.88-3.77%
1998$8.85-0.34%
1999$8.930.94%
2000$9.152.45%
2001$9.321.89%
2002$8.93-4.24%
2003$8.39-5.96%
2004$7.83-6.71%
2005$8.194.59%
2006$8.220.40%
2007$7.97-3.03%
2008$7.87-1.32%
2009$7.46-5.21%
2010$8.4112.72%
2011$8.754.11%
2012$8.830.89%
2013$8.80-0.29%
2014$8.76-0.53%
2015$8.64-1.32%
2016$8.43-2.47%
2017$8.12-3.64%
2018$8.130.09%
2019$8.211.00%
2020$8.473.19%
2021$10.7326.63%
2022$12.0912.75%
2023$11.23-7.13%
2024$10.55-6.02%*

* 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 Used cars and trucks:

Year1952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI28.40026.73122.73821.47720.68523.15424.00826.80825.05426.01528.38528.73129.95429.77729.03129.95430.71730.87731.22333.00833.06235.19236.69243.85450.28554.73855.84660.20862.31576.91588.77798.723112.515113.708108.785113.092117.969120.431117.569118.123123.169133.885141.662156.454157.038151.123150.608152.031155.762158.700151.977142.915133.323139.438139.992135.747133.951126.973143.128149.011150.330149.887149.094147.120143.488138.259138.385139.763144.221182.628205.908191.222179.708

Adjust used cars and trucks prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2016 / CPI in 1953 * 1953 USD value = 2016 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Used cars and trucks was 26.731 in the year 1953 and 143.488 in 2016:

143.488 / 26.731 * $1.57 = $8.43

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $1.57 in 1953 has the same "purchasing power" as $8.43 in 2016 (in the CPI category of Used cars and trucks).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Used cars and trucks in 1952. In addition to used cars and trucks, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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