According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Chicago, Illinois are 2,167.04% higher in 2025 versus 1935 (a $1,916,983.49 difference in value).
Between 1935 and 2025: Chicago experienced an average inflation rate of 3.53% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $88,461 in Chicago in the year 1935 would cost $2,005,444.49 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.56% during this same period, inflation in Chicago was lower.
In the year 1935: Pricing changed by 4.33%, which is above the average yearly change in Chicago during the 1935-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1935 (2.53%), inflation in Chicago was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Chicago, over time, for $88,461 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 | $88,461.00 | 4.33% |
| 1936 | $90,239.11 | 2.01% |
| 1937 | $93,962.03 | 4.13% |
| 1938 | $93,295.24 | -0.71% |
| 1939 | $91,461.56 | -1.97% |
| 1940 | $91,961.66 | 0.55% |
| 1941 | $96,795.89 | 5.26% |
| 1942 | $106,408.80 | 9.93% |
| 1943 | $112,354.36 | 5.59% |
| 1944 | $114,076.91 | 1.53% |
| 1945 | $116,521.81 | 2.14% |
| 1946 | $126,912.64 | 8.92% |
| 1947 | $147,416.48 | 16.16% |
| 1948 | $160,252.21 | 8.71% |
| 1949 | $160,085.52 | -0.10% |
| 1950 | $161,696.93 | 1.01% |
| 1951 | $174,421.53 | 7.87% |
| 1952 | $178,200.02 | 2.17% |
| 1953 | $179,755.86 | 0.87% |
| 1954 | $182,423.03 | 1.48% |
| 1955 | $183,645.48 | 0.67% |
| 1956 | $186,201.51 | 1.39% |
| 1957 | $192,258.20 | 3.25% |
| 1958 | $198,092.63 | 3.03% |
| 1959 | $199,704.04 | 0.81% |
| 1960 | $202,482.34 | 1.39% |
| 1961 | $203,482.53 | 0.49% |
| 1962 | $205,594.03 | 1.04% |
| 1963 | $207,649.97 | 1.00% |
| 1964 | $208,483.46 | 0.40% |
| 1965 | $211,261.76 | 1.33% |
| 1966 | $217,596.28 | 3.00% |
| 1967 | $223,264.01 | 2.60% |
| 1968 | $232,710.22 | 4.23% |
| 1969 | $245,434.82 | 5.47% |
| 1970 | $259,493.01 | 5.73% |
| 1971 | $269,717.14 | 3.94% |
| 1972 | $277,385.25 | 2.84% |
| 1973 | $294,777.39 | 6.27% |
| 1974 | $325,949.89 | 10.57% |
| 1975 | $351,676.93 | 7.89% |
| 1976 | $368,513.41 | 4.79% |
| 1977 | $391,684.42 | 6.29% |
| 1978 | $425,746.35 | 8.70% |
| 1979 | $478,867.40 | 12.48% |
| 1980 | $547,935.88 | 14.42% |
| 1981 | $600,390.14 | 9.57% |
| 1982 | $641,342.25 | 6.82% |
| 1983 | $666,902.59 | 3.99% |
| 1984 | $692,073.97 | 3.77% |
| 1985 | $718,189.97 | 3.77% |
| 1986 | $733,192.77 | 2.09% |
| 1987 | $763,420.65 | 4.12% |
| 1988 | $793,259.57 | 3.91% |
| 1989 | $833,378.19 | 5.06% |
| 1990 | $878,164.35 | 5.37% |
| 1991 | $913,782.13 | 4.06% |
| 1992 | $940,564.92 | 2.93% |
| 1993 | $969,570.34 | 3.08% |
| 1994 | $990,796.54 | 2.19% |
| 1995 | $1,022,302.44 | 3.18% |
| 1996 | $1,049,640.89 | 2.67% |
| 1997 | $1,078,368.48 | 2.74% |
| 1998 | $1,100,094.77 | 2.01% |
| 1999 | $1,122,876.81 | 2.07% |
| 2000 | $1,158,939.12 | 3.21% |
| 2001 | $1,189,111.43 | 2.60% |
| 2002 | $1,208,059.42 | 1.59% |
| 2003 | $1,230,285.80 | 1.84% |
| 2004 | $1,257,790.95 | 2.24% |
| 2005 | $1,295,853.63 | 3.03% |
| 2006 | $1,322,414.16 | 2.05% |
| 2007 | $1,365,706.15 | 3.27% |
| 2008 | $1,417,169.11 | 3.77% |
| 2009 | $1,400,229.28 | -1.20% |
| 2010 | $1,419,401.75 | 1.37% |
| 2011 | $1,458,167.34 | 2.73% |
| 2012 | $1,480,308.71 | 1.52% |
| 2013 | $1,497,247.99 | 1.14% |
| 2014 | $1,523,403.44 | 1.75% |
| 2015 | $1,518,899.82 | -0.30% |
| 2016 | $1,528,964.48 | 0.66% |
| 2017 | $1,557,700.41 | 1.88% |
| 2018 | $1,585,004.97 | 1.75% |
| 2019 | $1,608,172.08 | 1.46% |
| 2020 | $1,626,122.66 | 1.12% |
| 2021 | $1,694,711.06 | 4.22% |
| 2022 | $1,822,715.01 | 7.55% |
| 2023 | $1,883,349.14 | 3.33% |
| 2024 | $1,948,531.34 | 3.46% |
| 2025 | $2,005,444.49 | 2.92%* |
* 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 |
| 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 | 300.760 |