According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Chicago, Illinois are 2,099.56% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $36,742,365,558.91 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2026:Chicago experienced an average inflation rate of 3.66% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $1,750,000,000 in Chicago in the year 1940 would cost $38,492,365,558.91 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.73% during this same period, inflation in Chicago was lower.
In the year 1940: Pricing changed by 0.55%, which is significantly below the average yearly change in Chicago during the 1940-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1940 (0.72%), inflation in Chicago was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Chicago, over time, for $1,750,000,000 beginning in 1940. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | $1,750,000,000.00 | 0.55% |
| 1941 | $1,841,993,957.70 | 5.26% |
| 1942 | $2,024,924,471.30 | 9.93% |
| 1943 | $2,138,066,465.26 | 5.59% |
| 1944 | $2,170,845,921.45 | 1.53% |
| 1945 | $2,217,371,601.21 | 2.14% |
| 1946 | $2,415,105,740.18 | 8.92% |
| 1947 | $2,805,287,009.06 | 16.16% |
| 1948 | $3,049,546,827.79 | 8.71% |
| 1949 | $3,046,374,622.36 | -0.10% |
| 1950 | $3,077,039,274.92 | 1.01% |
| 1951 | $3,319,184,290.03 | 7.87% |
| 1952 | $3,391,087,613.29 | 2.17% |
| 1953 | $3,420,694,864.05 | 0.87% |
| 1954 | $3,471,450,151.06 | 1.48% |
| 1955 | $3,494,712,990.94 | 0.67% |
| 1956 | $3,543,353,474.32 | 1.39% |
| 1957 | $3,658,610,271.90 | 3.25% |
| 1958 | $3,769,637,462.24 | 3.03% |
| 1959 | $3,800,302,114.80 | 0.81% |
| 1960 | $3,853,172,205.44 | 1.39% |
| 1961 | $3,872,205,438.07 | 0.49% |
| 1962 | $3,912,386,706.95 | 1.04% |
| 1963 | $3,951,510,574.02 | 1.00% |
| 1964 | $3,967,371,601.21 | 0.40% |
| 1965 | $4,020,241,691.84 | 1.33% |
| 1966 | $4,140,785,498.49 | 3.00% |
| 1967 | $4,248,640,483.38 | 2.60% |
| 1968 | $4,428,398,791.54 | 4.23% |
| 1969 | $4,670,543,806.65 | 5.47% |
| 1970 | $4,938,066,465.26 | 5.73% |
| 1971 | $5,132,628,398.79 | 3.94% |
| 1972 | $5,278,549,848.94 | 2.84% |
| 1973 | $5,609,516,616.31 | 6.27% |
| 1974 | $6,202,719,033.23 | 10.57% |
| 1975 | $6,692,296,072.51 | 7.89% |
| 1976 | $7,012,688,821.75 | 4.79% |
| 1977 | $7,453,625,377.64 | 6.29% |
| 1978 | $8,101,812,688.82 | 8.70% |
| 1979 | $9,112,688,821.75 | 12.48% |
| 1980 | $10,427,039,274.92 | 14.42% |
| 1981 | $11,425,226,586.10 | 9.57% |
| 1982 | $12,204,531,722.05 | 6.82% |
| 1983 | $12,690,936,555.89 | 3.99% |
| 1984 | $13,169,939,577.04 | 3.77% |
| 1985 | $13,666,918,429.00 | 3.77% |
| 1986 | $13,952,416,918.43 | 2.09% |
| 1987 | $14,527,643,504.53 | 4.12% |
| 1988 | $15,095,468,277.95 | 3.91% |
| 1989 | $15,858,912,386.71 | 5.06% |
| 1990 | $16,711,178,247.73 | 5.37% |
| 1991 | $17,388,972,809.67 | 4.06% |
| 1992 | $17,898,640,483.38 | 2.93% |
| 1993 | $18,450,604,229.61 | 3.08% |
| 1994 | $18,854,531,722.05 | 2.19% |
| 1995 | $19,454,078,549.85 | 3.18% |
| 1996 | $19,974,320,241.69 | 2.67% |
| 1997 | $20,520,996,978.85 | 2.74% |
| 1998 | $20,934,441,087.61 | 2.01% |
| 1999 | $21,367,975,830.82 | 2.07% |
| 2000 | $22,054,229,607.25 | 3.21% |
| 2001 | $22,628,398,791.54 | 2.60% |
| 2002 | $22,988,972,809.67 | 1.59% |
| 2003 | $23,411,933,534.74 | 1.84% |
| 2004 | $23,935,347,432.02 | 2.24% |
| 2005 | $24,659,667,673.72 | 3.03% |
| 2006 | $25,165,105,740.18 | 2.05% |
| 2007 | $25,988,938,066.47 | 3.27% |
| 2008 | $26,968,261,329.31 | 3.77% |
| 2009 | $26,645,901,812.69 | -1.20% |
| 2010 | $27,010,747,734.14 | 1.37% |
| 2011 | $27,748,444,108.76 | 2.73% |
| 2012 | $28,169,787,009.06 | 1.52% |
| 2013 | $28,492,135,951.66 | 1.14% |
| 2014 | $28,989,865,558.91 | 1.75% |
| 2015 | $28,904,163,141.99 | -0.30% |
| 2016 | $29,095,690,332.33 | 0.66% |
| 2017 | $29,642,525,679.76 | 1.88% |
| 2018 | $30,162,122,356.50 | 1.75% |
| 2019 | $30,602,984,894.26 | 1.46% |
| 2020 | $30,944,578,549.85 | 1.12% |
| 2021 | $32,249,793,051.36 | 4.22% |
| 2022 | $34,685,666,163.14 | 7.55% |
| 2023 | $35,839,513,595.17 | 3.33% |
| 2024 | $37,079,909,365.56 | 3.46% |
| 2025 | $38,257,061,933.53 | 3.17% |
| 2026 | $38,492,365,558.91 | 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 |