According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Chicago, Illinois are 672.83% higher in 2025 versus 1970 (a $280,570,860,064.24 difference in value).
Between 1970 and 2025: Chicago experienced an average inflation rate of 3.79% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $41,700,000,000 in Chicago in the year 1970 would cost $322,270,860,064.24 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.92% during this same period, inflation in Chicago was lower.
In the year 1970: Pricing changed by 5.73%, which is above the average yearly change in Chicago during the 1970-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1970 (5.83%), inflation in Chicago was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Chicago, over time, for $41,700,000,000 beginning in 1970. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | $41,700,000,000.00 | 5.73% |
| 1971 | $43,342,997,858.67 | 3.94% |
| 1972 | $44,575,246,252.68 | 2.84% |
| 1973 | $47,370,128,479.66 | 6.27% |
| 1974 | $52,379,486,081.37 | 10.57% |
| 1975 | $56,513,768,736.62 | 7.89% |
| 1976 | $59,219,357,601.71 | 4.79% |
| 1977 | $62,942,890,792.29 | 6.29% |
| 1978 | $68,416,573,875.80 | 8.70% |
| 1979 | $76,953,019,271.95 | 12.48% |
| 1980 | $88,052,184,154.18 | 14.42% |
| 1981 | $96,481,477,516.06 | 9.57% |
| 1982 | $103,062,398,286.94 | 6.82% |
| 1983 | $107,169,892,933.62 | 3.99% |
| 1984 | $111,214,882,226.98 | 3.77% |
| 1985 | $115,411,670,235.55 | 3.77% |
| 1986 | $117,822,591,006.42 | 2.09% |
| 1987 | $122,680,149,892.93 | 4.12% |
| 1988 | $127,475,203,426.12 | 3.91% |
| 1989 | $133,922,184,154.18 | 5.06% |
| 1990 | $141,119,229,122.06 | 5.37% |
| 1991 | $146,842,933,618.84 | 4.06% |
| 1992 | $151,146,873,661.67 | 2.93% |
| 1993 | $155,807,987,152.03 | 3.08% |
| 1994 | $159,218,993,576.02 | 2.19% |
| 1995 | $164,281,927,194.86 | 3.18% |
| 1996 | $168,675,160,599.57 | 2.67% |
| 1997 | $173,291,627,408.99 | 2.74% |
| 1998 | $176,782,997,858.67 | 2.01% |
| 1999 | $180,444,025,695.93 | 2.07% |
| 2000 | $186,239,164,882.23 | 3.21% |
| 2001 | $191,087,794,432.55 | 2.60% |
| 2002 | $194,132,698,072.81 | 1.59% |
| 2003 | $197,704,432,548.18 | 1.84% |
| 2004 | $202,124,453,961.46 | 2.24% |
| 2005 | $208,241,049,250.54 | 3.03% |
| 2006 | $212,509,271,948.61 | 2.05% |
| 2007 | $219,466,207,066.38 | 3.27% |
| 2008 | $227,736,201,070.66 | 3.77% |
| 2009 | $225,014,003,640.26 | -1.20% |
| 2010 | $228,094,981,798.72 | 1.37% |
| 2011 | $234,324,533,190.58 | 2.73% |
| 2012 | $237,882,605,781.58 | 1.52% |
| 2013 | $240,604,713,918.63 | 1.14% |
| 2014 | $244,807,841,755.89 | 1.75% |
| 2015 | $244,084,119,057.82 | -0.30% |
| 2016 | $245,701,489,721.63 | 0.66% |
| 2017 | $250,319,295,931.48 | 1.88% |
| 2018 | $254,707,082,441.11 | 1.75% |
| 2019 | $258,429,990,578.16 | 1.46% |
| 2020 | $261,314,612,633.83 | 1.12% |
| 2021 | $272,336,628,051.39 | 4.22% |
| 2022 | $292,906,604,068.52 | 7.55% |
| 2023 | $302,650,385,010.71 | 3.33% |
| 2024 | $313,125,032,119.91 | 3.46% |
| 2025 | $322,270,860,064.24 | 2.92%* |
* 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 |
| 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 | 300.760 |