According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Chicago, Illinois are 2,099.56% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $14,699,108.77 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, $700,103 in Chicago in the year 1940 would cost $15,399,211.77 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 $700,103 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 | $700,103.00 | 0.55% |
| 1941 | $736,906.00 | 5.26% |
| 1942 | $810,088.97 | 9.93% |
| 1943 | $855,352.43 | 5.59% |
| 1944 | $868,466.14 | 1.53% |
| 1945 | $887,079.15 | 2.14% |
| 1946 | $966,184.44 | 8.92% |
| 1947 | $1,122,279.91 | 16.16% |
| 1948 | $1,219,998.22 | 8.71% |
| 1949 | $1,218,729.15 | -0.10% |
| 1950 | $1,230,996.82 | 1.01% |
| 1951 | $1,327,869.07 | 7.87% |
| 1952 | $1,356,634.64 | 2.17% |
| 1953 | $1,368,479.28 | 0.87% |
| 1954 | $1,388,784.38 | 1.48% |
| 1955 | $1,398,090.89 | 0.67% |
| 1956 | $1,417,549.94 | 1.39% |
| 1957 | $1,463,659.44 | 3.25% |
| 1958 | $1,508,076.85 | 3.03% |
| 1959 | $1,520,344.52 | 0.81% |
| 1960 | $1,541,495.67 | 1.39% |
| 1961 | $1,549,110.08 | 0.49% |
| 1962 | $1,565,184.95 | 1.04% |
| 1963 | $1,580,836.80 | 1.00% |
| 1964 | $1,587,182.15 | 0.40% |
| 1965 | $1,608,333.30 | 1.33% |
| 1966 | $1,656,557.91 | 3.00% |
| 1967 | $1,699,706.26 | 2.60% |
| 1968 | $1,771,620.16 | 4.23% |
| 1969 | $1,868,492.42 | 5.47% |
| 1970 | $1,975,517.23 | 5.73% |
| 1971 | $2,053,353.45 | 3.94% |
| 1972 | $2,111,730.62 | 2.84% |
| 1973 | $2,244,136.81 | 6.27% |
| 1974 | $2,481,452.69 | 10.57% |
| 1975 | $2,677,312.32 | 7.89% |
| 1976 | $2,805,488.28 | 4.79% |
| 1977 | $2,981,888.85 | 6.29% |
| 1978 | $3,241,201.93 | 8.70% |
| 1979 | $3,645,611.88 | 12.48% |
| 1980 | $4,171,429.42 | 14.42% |
| 1981 | $4,570,763.09 | 9.57% |
| 1982 | $4,882,531.01 | 6.82% |
| 1983 | $5,077,121.57 | 3.99% |
| 1984 | $5,268,750.98 | 3.77% |
| 1985 | $5,467,571.77 | 3.77% |
| 1986 | $5,581,787.97 | 2.09% |
| 1987 | $5,811,912.46 | 4.12% |
| 1988 | $6,039,075.79 | 3.91% |
| 1989 | $6,344,498.36 | 5.06% |
| 1990 | $6,685,454.87 | 5.37% |
| 1991 | $6,956,612.59 | 4.06% |
| 1992 | $7,160,509.66 | 2.93% |
| 1993 | $7,381,327.64 | 3.08% |
| 1994 | $7,542,922.41 | 2.19% |
| 1995 | $7,782,776.43 | 3.18% |
| 1996 | $7,990,903.73 | 2.67% |
| 1997 | $8,209,606.60 | 2.74% |
| 1998 | $8,375,008.58 | 2.01% |
| 1999 | $8,548,447.99 | 2.07% |
| 2000 | $8,822,989.89 | 3.21% |
| 2001 | $9,052,691.36 | 2.60% |
| 2002 | $9,196,942.19 | 1.59% |
| 2003 | $9,366,151.37 | 1.84% |
| 2004 | $9,575,547.74 | 2.24% |
| 2005 | $9,865,318.47 | 3.03% |
| 2006 | $10,067,523.44 | 2.05% |
| 2007 | $10,397,104.86 | 3.27% |
| 2008 | $10,788,891.81 | 3.77% |
| 2009 | $10,659,929.03 | -1.20% |
| 2010 | $10,805,888.87 | 1.37% |
| 2011 | $11,101,010.84 | 2.73% |
| 2012 | $11,269,572.80 | 1.52% |
| 2013 | $11,398,531.35 | 1.14% |
| 2014 | $11,597,652.48 | 1.75% |
| 2015 | $11,563,366.47 | -0.30% |
| 2016 | $11,639,988.62 | 0.66% |
| 2017 | $11,858,754.95 | 1.88% |
| 2018 | $12,066,624.20 | 1.75% |
| 2019 | $12,242,995.16 | 1.46% |
| 2020 | $12,379,652.73 | 1.12% |
| 2021 | $12,901,815.35 | 4.22% |
| 2022 | $13,876,307.96 | 7.55% |
| 2023 | $14,337,914.85 | 3.33% |
| 2024 | $14,834,146.16 | 3.46% |
| 2025 | $15,305,076.47 | 3.17% |
| 2026 | $15,399,211.77 | 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 |