According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Chicago, Illinois are 1,001.45% higher in 2026 versus 1955 (a $6,409,252,405.45 difference in value).
Between 1955 and 2026:Chicago experienced an average inflation rate of 3.44% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $640,000,000 in Chicago in the year 1955 would cost $7,049,252,405.45 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.58% 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 $640,000,000 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 | $640,000,000.00 | 0.67% |
| 1956 | $648,907,715.58 | 1.39% |
| 1957 | $670,015,128.59 | 3.25% |
| 1958 | $690,347,957.64 | 3.03% |
| 1959 | $695,963,691.38 | 0.81% |
| 1960 | $705,645,990.92 | 1.39% |
| 1961 | $709,131,618.76 | 0.49% |
| 1962 | $716,490,166.41 | 1.04% |
| 1963 | $723,655,068.08 | 1.00% |
| 1964 | $726,559,757.94 | 0.40% |
| 1965 | $736,242,057.49 | 1.33% |
| 1966 | $758,317,700.45 | 3.00% |
| 1967 | $778,069,591.53 | 2.60% |
| 1968 | $810,989,409.98 | 4.23% |
| 1969 | $855,334,341.91 | 5.47% |
| 1970 | $904,326,777.61 | 5.73% |
| 1971 | $939,957,639.94 | 3.94% |
| 1972 | $966,680,786.69 | 2.84% |
| 1973 | $1,027,291,981.85 | 6.27% |
| 1974 | $1,135,927,382.75 | 10.57% |
| 1975 | $1,225,585,476.55 | 7.89% |
| 1976 | $1,284,260,211.80 | 4.79% |
| 1977 | $1,365,010,590.02 | 6.29% |
| 1978 | $1,483,715,582.45 | 8.70% |
| 1979 | $1,668,841,149.77 | 12.48% |
| 1980 | $1,909,543,116.49 | 14.42% |
| 1981 | $2,092,344,931.92 | 9.57% |
| 1982 | $2,235,062,027.23 | 6.82% |
| 1983 | $2,324,139,183.06 | 3.99% |
| 1984 | $2,411,860,816.94 | 3.77% |
| 1985 | $2,502,874,432.68 | 3.77% |
| 1986 | $2,555,158,850.23 | 2.09% |
| 1987 | $2,660,502,269.29 | 4.12% |
| 1988 | $2,764,490,166.41 | 3.91% |
| 1989 | $2,904,302,571.86 | 5.06% |
| 1990 | $3,060,381,240.54 | 5.37% |
| 1991 | $3,184,508,320.73 | 4.06% |
| 1992 | $3,277,845,688.35 | 2.93% |
| 1993 | $3,378,928,895.61 | 3.08% |
| 1994 | $3,452,901,664.15 | 2.19% |
| 1995 | $3,562,698,941.00 | 3.18% |
| 1996 | $3,657,972,768.53 | 2.67% |
| 1997 | $3,758,087,745.84 | 2.74% |
| 1998 | $3,833,803,328.29 | 2.01% |
| 1999 | $3,913,198,184.57 | 2.07% |
| 2000 | $4,038,874,432.68 | 3.21% |
| 2001 | $4,144,024,205.75 | 2.60% |
| 2002 | $4,210,057,488.65 | 1.59% |
| 2003 | $4,287,515,885.02 | 1.84% |
| 2004 | $4,383,370,650.53 | 2.24% |
| 2005 | $4,516,018,154.31 | 3.03% |
| 2006 | $4,608,580,937.97 | 2.05% |
| 2007 | $4,759,452,465.96 | 3.27% |
| 2008 | $4,938,799,636.91 | 3.77% |
| 2009 | $4,879,764,720.12 | -1.20% |
| 2010 | $4,946,580,332.83 | 1.37% |
| 2011 | $5,081,677,458.40 | 2.73% |
| 2012 | $5,158,839,576.40 | 1.52% |
| 2013 | $5,217,872,556.73 | 1.14% |
| 2014 | $5,309,023,661.12 | 1.75% |
| 2015 | $5,293,328,653.56 | -0.30% |
| 2016 | $5,328,403,751.89 | 0.66% |
| 2017 | $5,428,547,776.10 | 1.88% |
| 2018 | $5,523,703,479.58 | 1.75% |
| 2019 | $5,604,440,302.57 | 1.46% |
| 2020 | $5,666,997,639.94 | 1.12% |
| 2021 | $5,906,026,505.30 | 4.22% |
| 2022 | $6,352,117,155.82 | 7.55% |
| 2023 | $6,563,425,597.58 | 3.33% |
| 2024 | $6,790,583,963.69 | 3.46% |
| 2025 | $7,006,160,363.09 | 3.17% |
| 2026 | $7,049,252,405.45 | 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 |