According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Chicago, Illinois are 1,637.60% higher in 2026 versus 1930 (a $800,787.80 difference in value).
Between 1930 and 2026:Chicago experienced an average inflation rate of 3.02% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $48,900 in Chicago in the year 1930 would cost $849,687.80 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.14% during this same period, inflation in Chicago was lower.
In the year 1930: Pricing changed by -1.09%, which is significantly below the average yearly change in Chicago during the 1930-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1930 (-2.67%), inflation in Chicago was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Chicago, over time, for $48,900 beginning in 1930. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1930 | $48,900.00 | -1.09% |
| 1931 | $44,698.57 | -8.59% |
| 1932 | $39,446.78 | -11.75% |
| 1933 | $35,385.39 | -10.30% |
| 1934 | $35,618.81 | 0.66% |
| 1935 | $37,159.33 | 4.33% |
| 1936 | $37,906.25 | 2.01% |
| 1937 | $39,470.12 | 4.13% |
| 1938 | $39,190.02 | -0.71% |
| 1939 | $38,419.76 | -1.97% |
| 1940 | $38,629.83 | 0.55% |
| 1941 | $40,660.53 | 5.26% |
| 1942 | $44,698.57 | 9.93% |
| 1943 | $47,196.09 | 5.59% |
| 1944 | $47,919.67 | 1.53% |
| 1945 | $48,946.68 | 2.14% |
| 1946 | $53,311.50 | 8.92% |
| 1947 | $61,924.44 | 16.16% |
| 1948 | $67,316.28 | 8.71% |
| 1949 | $67,246.25 | -0.10% |
| 1950 | $67,923.15 | 1.01% |
| 1951 | $73,268.31 | 7.87% |
| 1952 | $74,855.51 | 2.17% |
| 1953 | $75,509.07 | 0.87% |
| 1954 | $76,629.45 | 1.48% |
| 1955 | $77,142.96 | 0.67% |
| 1956 | $78,216.66 | 1.39% |
| 1957 | $80,760.86 | 3.25% |
| 1958 | $83,211.69 | 3.03% |
| 1959 | $83,888.59 | 0.81% |
| 1960 | $85,055.66 | 1.39% |
| 1961 | $85,475.80 | 0.49% |
| 1962 | $86,362.77 | 1.04% |
| 1963 | $87,226.40 | 1.00% |
| 1964 | $87,576.52 | 0.40% |
| 1965 | $88,743.58 | 1.33% |
| 1966 | $91,404.49 | 3.00% |
| 1967 | $93,785.30 | 2.60% |
| 1968 | $97,753.32 | 4.23% |
| 1969 | $103,098.47 | 5.47% |
| 1970 | $109,003.82 | 5.73% |
| 1971 | $113,298.62 | 3.94% |
| 1972 | $116,519.71 | 2.84% |
| 1973 | $123,825.54 | 6.27% |
| 1974 | $136,920.00 | 10.57% |
| 1975 | $147,727.02 | 7.89% |
| 1976 | $154,799.43 | 4.79% |
| 1977 | $164,532.74 | 6.29% |
| 1978 | $178,840.95 | 8.70% |
| 1979 | $201,155.23 | 12.48% |
| 1980 | $230,168.45 | 14.42% |
| 1981 | $252,202.63 | 9.57% |
| 1982 | $269,405.16 | 6.82% |
| 1983 | $280,142.15 | 3.99% |
| 1984 | $290,715.75 | 3.77% |
| 1985 | $301,686.16 | 3.77% |
| 1986 | $307,988.31 | 2.09% |
| 1987 | $320,685.97 | 4.12% |
| 1988 | $333,220.24 | 3.91% |
| 1989 | $350,072.65 | 5.06% |
| 1990 | $368,885.73 | 5.37% |
| 1991 | $383,847.49 | 4.06% |
| 1992 | $395,098.00 | 2.93% |
| 1993 | $407,282.15 | 3.08% |
| 1994 | $416,198.52 | 2.19% |
| 1995 | $429,433.03 | 3.18% |
| 1996 | $440,916.95 | 2.67% |
| 1997 | $452,984.39 | 2.74% |
| 1998 | $462,110.84 | 2.01% |
| 1999 | $471,680.76 | 2.07% |
| 2000 | $486,829.26 | 3.21% |
| 2001 | $499,503.58 | 2.60% |
| 2002 | $507,462.96 | 1.59% |
| 2003 | $516,799.47 | 1.84% |
| 2004 | $528,353.41 | 2.24% |
| 2005 | $544,342.20 | 3.03% |
| 2006 | $555,499.33 | 2.05% |
| 2007 | $573,684.76 | 3.27% |
| 2008 | $595,302.53 | 3.77% |
| 2009 | $588,186.71 | -1.20% |
| 2010 | $596,240.38 | 1.37% |
| 2011 | $612,524.43 | 2.73% |
| 2012 | $621,825.24 | 1.52% |
| 2013 | $628,940.83 | 1.14% |
| 2014 | $639,927.81 | 1.75% |
| 2015 | $638,036.00 | -0.30% |
| 2016 | $642,263.80 | 0.66% |
| 2017 | $654,334.75 | 1.88% |
| 2018 | $665,804.43 | 1.75% |
| 2019 | $675,536.11 | 1.46% |
| 2020 | $683,076.51 | 1.12% |
| 2021 | $711,888.07 | 4.22% |
| 2022 | $765,657.99 | 7.55% |
| 2023 | $791,128.24 | 3.33% |
| 2024 | $818,508.97 | 3.46% |
| 2025 | $844,493.66 | 3.17% |
| 2026 | $849,687.80 | 0.62%* |
* 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:
| Year | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 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 | 2025 | 2026 |
| CPI | 10.000 | 10.017 | 10.317 | 11.758 | 13.733 | 16.667 | 19.850 | 18.175 | 17.167 | 17.375 | 17.717 | 18.108 | 18.425 | 18.258 | 17.692 | 17.650 | 17.458 | 15.958 | 14.083 | 12.633 | 12.717 | 13.267 | 13.533 | 14.092 | 13.992 | 13.717 | 13.792 | 14.517 | 15.958 | 16.850 | 17.108 | 17.475 | 19.033 | 22.108 | 24.033 | 24.008 | 24.250 | 26.158 | 26.725 | 26.958 | 27.358 | 27.542 | 27.925 | 28.833 | 29.708 | 29.950 | 30.367 | 30.517 | 30.833 | 31.142 | 31.267 | 31.683 | 32.633 | 33.483 | 34.900 | 36.808 | 38.917 | 40.450 | 41.600 | 44.208 | 48.883 | 52.742 | 55.267 | 58.742 | 63.850 | 71.817 | 82.175 | 90.042 | 96.183 | 100.017 | 103.792 | 107.708 | 109.958 | 114.492 | 118.967 | 124.983 | 131.700 | 137.042 | 141.058 | 145.408 | 148.592 | 153.317 | 157.417 | 161.725 | 164.983 | 168.400 | 173.808 | 178.333 | 181.175 | 184.508 | 188.633 | 194.342 | 198.325 | 204.818 | 212.536 | 209.995 | 212.870 | 218.684 | 222.005 | 224.545 | 228.468 | 227.792 | 229.302 | 233.611 | 237.706 | 241.181 | 243.873 | 254.159 | 273.356 | 282.450 | 292.225 | 301.502 | 303.356 |