According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Chicago, Illinois are 995.94% higher in 2026 versus 1955 (a $5,983,464,975.49 difference in value).
Between 1955 and 2026: Chicago experienced an average inflation rate of 3.43% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $600,788,188 in Chicago in the year 1955 would cost $6,584,253,163.49 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.57% during this same period, inflation in Chicago was lower.
In the year 1955: Pricing changed by 0.67%, which is below the average yearly change in Chicago during the 1955-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1955 (-0.28%), inflation in Chicago was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Chicago, over time, for $600,788,188 beginning in 1955. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | $600,788,188.00 | 0.67% |
| 1956 | $609,150,141.60 | 1.39% |
| 1957 | $628,964,336.00 | 3.25% |
| 1958 | $648,051,404.00 | 3.03% |
| 1959 | $653,323,070.40 | 0.81% |
| 1960 | $662,412,150.40 | 1.39% |
| 1961 | $665,684,219.20 | 0.49% |
| 1962 | $672,591,920.00 | 1.04% |
| 1963 | $679,317,839.20 | 1.00% |
| 1964 | $682,044,563.20 | 0.40% |
| 1965 | $691,133,643.20 | 1.33% |
| 1966 | $711,856,745.60 | 3.00% |
| 1967 | $730,398,468.80 | 2.60% |
| 1968 | $761,301,340.80 | 4.23% |
| 1969 | $802,929,327.20 | 5.47% |
| 1970 | $848,920,072.00 | 5.73% |
| 1971 | $882,367,886.40 | 3.94% |
| 1972 | $907,453,747.20 | 2.84% |
| 1973 | $964,351,388.00 | 6.27% |
| 1974 | $1,066,330,865.60 | 10.57% |
| 1975 | $1,150,495,746.40 | 7.89% |
| 1976 | $1,205,575,571.20 | 4.79% |
| 1977 | $1,281,378,498.40 | 6.29% |
| 1978 | $1,392,810,619.20 | 8.70% |
| 1979 | $1,566,593,828.80 | 12.48% |
| 1980 | $1,792,548,357.60 | 14.42% |
| 1981 | $1,964,150,188.00 | 9.57% |
| 1982 | $2,098,123,227.20 | 6.82% |
| 1983 | $2,181,742,763.20 | 3.99% |
| 1984 | $2,264,089,828.00 | 3.77% |
| 1985 | $2,349,527,180.00 | 3.77% |
| 1986 | $2,398,608,212.00 | 2.09% |
| 1987 | $2,497,497,402.40 | 4.12% |
| 1988 | $2,595,114,121.60 | 3.91% |
| 1989 | $2,726,360,436.80 | 5.06% |
| 1990 | $2,872,876,406.40 | 5.37% |
| 1991 | $2,989,398,412.00 | 4.06% |
| 1992 | $3,077,017,143.20 | 2.93% |
| 1993 | $3,171,907,138.40 | 3.08% |
| 1994 | $3,241,347,709.60 | 2.19% |
| 1995 | $3,344,417,876.80 | 3.18% |
| 1996 | $3,433,854,424.00 | 2.67% |
| 1997 | $3,527,835,511.20 | 2.74% |
| 1998 | $3,598,912,116.80 | 2.01% |
| 1999 | $3,673,442,572.80 | 2.07% |
| 2000 | $3,791,418,831.20 | 3.21% |
| 2001 | $3,890,126,240.00 | 2.60% |
| 2002 | $3,952,113,765.60 | 1.59% |
| 2003 | $4,024,826,405.60 | 1.84% |
| 2004 | $4,114,808,297.60 | 2.24% |
| 2005 | $4,239,328,693.60 | 3.03% |
| 2006 | $4,326,220,298.40 | 2.05% |
| 2007 | $4,467,848,160.78 | 3.27% |
| 2008 | $4,636,207,007.43 | 3.77% |
| 2009 | $4,580,789,068.86 | -1.20% |
| 2010 | $4,643,510,992.12 | 1.37% |
| 2011 | $4,770,330,925.36 | 2.73% |
| 2012 | $4,842,765,439.51 | 1.52% |
| 2013 | $4,898,181,560.27 | 1.14% |
| 2014 | $4,983,747,977.21 | 1.75% |
| 2015 | $4,969,014,578.53 | -0.30% |
| 2016 | $5,001,940,679.74 | 0.66% |
| 2017 | $5,095,949,034.18 | 1.88% |
| 2018 | $5,185,274,694.60 | 1.75% |
| 2019 | $5,261,064,897.09 | 1.46% |
| 2020 | $5,319,789,442.97 | 1.12% |
| 2021 | $5,544,173,378.74 | 4.22% |
| 2022 | $5,962,932,743.77 | 7.55% |
| 2023 | $6,161,294,643.50 | 3.33% |
| 2024 | $6,374,535,367.20 | 3.46% |
| 2025 | $6,577,584,092.35 | 3.19% |
| 2026 | $6,584,253,163.49 | 0.10%* |
* 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 | 301.533 | 301.839 |