According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Chicago, Illinois are 2,099.56% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $7,453,451,299.09 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, $355,000,000 in Chicago in the year 1940 would cost $7,808,451,299.09 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 $355,000,000 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 | $355,000,000.00 | 0.55% |
| 1941 | $373,661,631.42 | 5.26% |
| 1942 | $410,770,392.75 | 9.93% |
| 1943 | $433,722,054.38 | 5.59% |
| 1944 | $440,371,601.21 | 1.53% |
| 1945 | $449,809,667.67 | 2.14% |
| 1946 | $489,921,450.15 | 8.92% |
| 1947 | $569,072,507.55 | 16.16% |
| 1948 | $618,622,356.50 | 8.71% |
| 1949 | $617,978,851.96 | -0.10% |
| 1950 | $624,199,395.77 | 1.01% |
| 1951 | $673,320,241.69 | 7.87% |
| 1952 | $687,906,344.41 | 2.17% |
| 1953 | $693,912,386.71 | 0.87% |
| 1954 | $704,208,459.21 | 1.48% |
| 1955 | $708,927,492.45 | 0.67% |
| 1956 | $718,794,561.93 | 1.39% |
| 1957 | $742,175,226.59 | 3.25% |
| 1958 | $764,697,885.20 | 3.03% |
| 1959 | $770,918,429.00 | 0.81% |
| 1960 | $781,643,504.53 | 1.39% |
| 1961 | $785,504,531.72 | 0.49% |
| 1962 | $793,655,589.12 | 1.04% |
| 1963 | $801,592,145.02 | 1.00% |
| 1964 | $804,809,667.67 | 0.40% |
| 1965 | $815,534,743.20 | 1.33% |
| 1966 | $839,987,915.41 | 3.00% |
| 1967 | $861,867,069.49 | 2.60% |
| 1968 | $898,332,326.28 | 4.23% |
| 1969 | $947,453,172.21 | 5.47% |
| 1970 | $1,001,722,054.38 | 5.73% |
| 1971 | $1,041,190,332.33 | 3.94% |
| 1972 | $1,070,791,540.79 | 2.84% |
| 1973 | $1,137,930,513.60 | 6.27% |
| 1974 | $1,258,265,861.03 | 10.57% |
| 1975 | $1,357,580,060.42 | 7.89% |
| 1976 | $1,422,574,018.13 | 4.79% |
| 1977 | $1,512,021,148.04 | 6.29% |
| 1978 | $1,643,510,574.02 | 8.70% |
| 1979 | $1,848,574,018.13 | 12.48% |
| 1980 | $2,115,199,395.77 | 14.42% |
| 1981 | $2,317,688,821.75 | 9.57% |
| 1982 | $2,475,776,435.05 | 6.82% |
| 1983 | $2,574,447,129.91 | 3.99% |
| 1984 | $2,671,616,314.20 | 3.77% |
| 1985 | $2,772,432,024.17 | 3.77% |
| 1986 | $2,830,347,432.02 | 2.09% |
| 1987 | $2,947,036,253.78 | 4.12% |
| 1988 | $3,062,223,564.95 | 3.91% |
| 1989 | $3,217,093,655.59 | 5.06% |
| 1990 | $3,389,981,873.11 | 5.37% |
| 1991 | $3,527,477,341.39 | 4.06% |
| 1992 | $3,630,867,069.49 | 2.93% |
| 1993 | $3,742,836,858.01 | 3.08% |
| 1994 | $3,824,776,435.05 | 2.19% |
| 1995 | $3,946,398,791.54 | 3.18% |
| 1996 | $4,051,933,534.74 | 2.67% |
| 1997 | $4,162,830,815.71 | 2.74% |
| 1998 | $4,246,700,906.34 | 2.01% |
| 1999 | $4,334,646,525.68 | 2.07% |
| 2000 | $4,473,858,006.04 | 3.21% |
| 2001 | $4,590,332,326.28 | 2.60% |
| 2002 | $4,663,477,341.39 | 1.59% |
| 2003 | $4,749,277,945.62 | 1.84% |
| 2004 | $4,855,456,193.35 | 2.24% |
| 2005 | $5,002,389,728.10 | 3.03% |
| 2006 | $5,104,921,450.15 | 2.05% |
| 2007 | $5,272,041,722.05 | 3.27% |
| 2008 | $5,470,704,441.09 | 3.77% |
| 2009 | $5,405,311,510.57 | -1.20% |
| 2010 | $5,479,323,111.78 | 1.37% |
| 2011 | $5,628,970,090.63 | 2.73% |
| 2012 | $5,714,442,507.55 | 1.52% |
| 2013 | $5,779,833,293.05 | 1.14% |
| 2014 | $5,880,801,299.09 | 1.75% |
| 2015 | $5,863,415,951.66 | -0.30% |
| 2016 | $5,902,268,610.27 | 0.66% |
| 2017 | $6,013,198,066.47 | 1.88% |
| 2018 | $6,118,601,963.75 | 1.75% |
| 2019 | $6,208,034,078.55 | 1.46% |
| 2020 | $6,277,328,791.54 | 1.12% |
| 2021 | $6,542,100,876.13 | 4.22% |
| 2022 | $7,036,235,135.95 | 7.55% |
| 2023 | $7,270,301,329.31 | 3.33% |
| 2024 | $7,521,924,471.30 | 3.46% |
| 2025 | $7,760,718,277.95 | 3.17% |
| 2026 | $7,808,451,299.09 | 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 |