According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Chicago, Illinois are 970.99% higher in 2026 versus 1957 (a $18,448.80 difference in value).
Between 1957 and 2026, Chicago experienced an average inflation rate of 3.50% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $1,900 in Chicago in the year 1957 would cost $20,348.80 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.65% during this same period, inflation in Chicago was lower.
In the year 1957: Pricing changed by 3.25%, which is below the average yearly change in Chicago during the 1957-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1957 (3.34%), inflation in Chicago was lower.
The official rate is based on an average household's spending, so your own inflation rate is probably different. The personal inflation calculator works it out from your budget.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Chicago, over time, for $1,900 beginning in 1957. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1957 | $1,900.00 | 3.25% |
| 1958 | $1,957.66 | 3.03% |
| 1959 | $1,973.58 | 0.81% |
| 1960 | $2,001.04 | 1.39% |
| 1961 | $2,010.92 | 0.49% |
| 1962 | $2,031.79 | 1.04% |
| 1963 | $2,052.11 | 1.00% |
| 1964 | $2,060.35 | 0.40% |
| 1965 | $2,087.80 | 1.33% |
| 1966 | $2,150.40 | 3.00% |
| 1967 | $2,206.42 | 2.60% |
| 1968 | $2,299.77 | 4.23% |
| 1969 | $2,425.52 | 5.47% |
| 1970 | $2,564.45 | 5.73% |
| 1971 | $2,665.49 | 3.94% |
| 1972 | $2,741.27 | 2.84% |
| 1973 | $2,913.15 | 6.27% |
| 1974 | $3,221.21 | 10.57% |
| 1975 | $3,475.46 | 7.89% |
| 1976 | $3,641.85 | 4.79% |
| 1977 | $3,870.84 | 6.29% |
| 1978 | $4,207.46 | 8.70% |
| 1979 | $4,732.43 | 12.48% |
| 1980 | $5,415.00 | 14.42% |
| 1981 | $5,933.38 | 9.57% |
| 1982 | $6,338.09 | 6.82% |
| 1983 | $6,590.69 | 3.99% |
| 1984 | $6,839.45 | 3.77% |
| 1985 | $7,097.54 | 3.77% |
| 1986 | $7,245.81 | 2.09% |
| 1987 | $7,544.54 | 4.12% |
| 1988 | $7,839.42 | 3.91% |
| 1989 | $8,235.90 | 5.06% |
| 1990 | $8,678.50 | 5.37% |
| 1991 | $9,030.49 | 4.06% |
| 1992 | $9,295.17 | 2.93% |
| 1993 | $9,581.82 | 3.08% |
| 1994 | $9,791.59 | 2.19% |
| 1995 | $10,102.95 | 3.18% |
| 1996 | $10,373.12 | 2.67% |
| 1997 | $10,657.02 | 2.74% |
| 1998 | $10,871.73 | 2.01% |
| 1999 | $11,096.88 | 2.07% |
| 2000 | $11,453.27 | 3.21% |
| 2001 | $11,751.45 | 2.60% |
| 2002 | $11,938.70 | 1.59% |
| 2003 | $12,158.35 | 1.84% |
| 2004 | $12,430.17 | 2.24% |
| 2005 | $12,806.33 | 3.03% |
| 2006 | $13,068.82 | 2.05% |
| 2007 | $13,496.65 | 3.27% |
| 2008 | $14,005.23 | 3.77% |
| 2009 | $13,837.83 | -1.20% |
| 2010 | $14,027.30 | 1.37% |
| 2011 | $14,410.40 | 2.73% |
| 2012 | $14,629.21 | 1.52% |
| 2013 | $14,796.62 | 1.14% |
| 2014 | $15,055.10 | 1.75% |
| 2015 | $15,010.59 | -0.30% |
| 2016 | $15,110.06 | 0.66% |
| 2017 | $15,394.04 | 1.88% |
| 2018 | $15,663.88 | 1.75% |
| 2019 | $15,892.83 | 1.46% |
| 2020 | $16,070.23 | 1.12% |
| 2021 | $16,748.06 | 4.22% |
| 2022 | $18,013.06 | 7.55% |
| 2023 | $18,612.28 | 3.33% |
| 2024 | $19,256.45 | 3.46% |
| 2025 | $19,867.77 | 3.17% |
| 2026 | $20,348.80 | 2.42%* |
* 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 | 308.802 |