According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Chicago, Illinois are 1,650.84% higher in 2026 versus 1930 (a $825,336.79 difference in value).
Between 1930 and 2026:Chicago experienced an average inflation rate of 3.03% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $49,995 in Chicago in the year 1930 would cost $875,331.79 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.15% 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 $49,995 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 | $49,995.00 | -1.09% |
| 1931 | $45,699.49 | -8.59% |
| 1932 | $40,330.10 | -11.75% |
| 1933 | $36,177.77 | -10.30% |
| 1934 | $36,416.41 | 0.66% |
| 1935 | $37,991.43 | 4.33% |
| 1936 | $38,755.07 | 2.01% |
| 1937 | $40,353.96 | 4.13% |
| 1938 | $40,067.59 | -0.71% |
| 1939 | $39,280.08 | -1.97% |
| 1940 | $39,494.86 | 0.55% |
| 1941 | $41,571.02 | 5.26% |
| 1942 | $45,699.49 | 9.93% |
| 1943 | $48,252.93 | 5.59% |
| 1944 | $48,992.71 | 1.53% |
| 1945 | $50,042.73 | 2.14% |
| 1946 | $54,505.29 | 8.92% |
| 1947 | $63,311.09 | 16.16% |
| 1948 | $68,823.67 | 8.71% |
| 1949 | $68,752.07 | -0.10% |
| 1950 | $69,444.13 | 1.01% |
| 1951 | $74,908.98 | 7.87% |
| 1952 | $76,531.73 | 2.17% |
| 1953 | $77,199.92 | 0.87% |
| 1954 | $78,345.39 | 1.48% |
| 1955 | $78,870.39 | 0.67% |
| 1956 | $79,968.14 | 1.39% |
| 1957 | $82,569.31 | 3.25% |
| 1958 | $85,075.02 | 3.03% |
| 1959 | $85,767.08 | 0.81% |
| 1960 | $86,960.28 | 1.39% |
| 1961 | $87,389.83 | 0.49% |
| 1962 | $88,296.66 | 1.04% |
| 1963 | $89,179.63 | 1.00% |
| 1964 | $89,537.58 | 0.40% |
| 1965 | $90,730.78 | 1.33% |
| 1966 | $93,451.27 | 3.00% |
| 1967 | $95,885.40 | 2.60% |
| 1968 | $99,942.27 | 4.23% |
| 1969 | $105,407.12 | 5.47% |
| 1970 | $111,444.70 | 5.73% |
| 1971 | $115,835.67 | 3.94% |
| 1972 | $119,128.90 | 2.84% |
| 1973 | $126,598.32 | 6.27% |
| 1974 | $139,986.00 | 10.57% |
| 1975 | $151,035.01 | 7.89% |
| 1976 | $158,265.79 | 4.79% |
| 1977 | $168,217.07 | 6.29% |
| 1978 | $182,845.68 | 8.70% |
| 1979 | $205,659.62 | 12.48% |
| 1980 | $235,322.53 | 14.42% |
| 1981 | $257,850.11 | 9.57% |
| 1982 | $275,437.85 | 6.82% |
| 1983 | $286,415.27 | 3.99% |
| 1984 | $297,225.64 | 3.77% |
| 1985 | $308,441.71 | 3.77% |
| 1986 | $314,884.98 | 2.09% |
| 1987 | $327,866.97 | 4.12% |
| 1988 | $340,681.92 | 3.91% |
| 1989 | $357,911.70 | 5.06% |
| 1990 | $377,146.05 | 5.37% |
| 1991 | $392,442.85 | 4.06% |
| 1992 | $403,945.28 | 2.93% |
| 1993 | $416,402.27 | 3.08% |
| 1994 | $425,518.30 | 2.19% |
| 1995 | $439,049.17 | 3.18% |
| 1996 | $450,790.24 | 2.67% |
| 1997 | $463,127.91 | 2.74% |
| 1998 | $472,458.72 | 2.01% |
| 1999 | $482,242.94 | 2.07% |
| 2000 | $497,730.65 | 3.21% |
| 2001 | $510,688.78 | 2.60% |
| 2002 | $518,826.39 | 1.59% |
| 2003 | $528,371.98 | 1.84% |
| 2004 | $540,184.64 | 2.24% |
| 2005 | $556,531.45 | 3.03% |
| 2006 | $567,938.43 | 2.05% |
| 2007 | $586,531.08 | 3.27% |
| 2008 | $608,632.93 | 3.77% |
| 2009 | $601,357.76 | -1.20% |
| 2010 | $609,591.78 | 1.37% |
| 2011 | $626,240.47 | 2.73% |
| 2012 | $635,749.55 | 1.52% |
| 2013 | $643,024.47 | 1.14% |
| 2014 | $654,257.48 | 1.75% |
| 2015 | $652,323.31 | -0.30% |
| 2016 | $656,645.78 | 0.66% |
| 2017 | $668,987.03 | 1.88% |
| 2018 | $680,713.54 | 1.75% |
| 2019 | $690,663.15 | 1.46% |
| 2020 | $698,372.40 | 1.12% |
| 2021 | $727,829.12 | 4.22% |
| 2022 | $782,803.10 | 7.55% |
| 2023 | $808,843.69 | 3.33% |
| 2024 | $836,837.55 | 3.46% |
| 2025 | $863,404.10 | 3.17% |
| 2026 | $875,331.79 | 1.38%* |
* 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 | 305.667 |