According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Houston, Texas are 1,982.56% higher in 2025 versus 1938 (a $12,688,388.73 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 2025: Houston experienced an average inflation rate of 3.55% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $640,000 in Houston in the year 1938 would cost $13,328,388.73 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.66% during this same period, inflation in Houston was lower.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by -0.06%, which is significantly below the average yearly change in Houston during the 1938-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation in Houston was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Houston, over time, for $640,000 beginning in 1938. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | $640,000.00 | -0.06% |
| 1939 | $634,389.48 | -0.88% |
| 1940 | $635,992.49 | 0.25% |
| 1941 | $663,644.33 | 4.35% |
| 1942 | $732,974.33 | 10.45% |
| 1943 | $771,847.21 | 5.30% |
| 1944 | $779,060.74 | 0.93% |
| 1945 | $795,491.55 | 2.11% |
| 1946 | $858,409.52 | 7.91% |
| 1947 | $1,009,092.05 | 17.55% |
| 1948 | $1,093,249.84 | 8.34% |
| 1949 | $1,090,043.83 | -0.29% |
| 1950 | $1,122,905.45 | 3.01% |
| 1951 | $1,212,673.76 | 7.99% |
| 1952 | $1,227,501.57 | 1.22% |
| 1953 | $1,240,325.61 | 1.04% |
| 1954 | $1,242,329.37 | 0.16% |
| 1955 | $1,231,108.33 | -0.90% |
| 1956 | $1,249,943.64 | 1.53% |
| 1957 | $1,291,221.04 | 3.30% |
| 1958 | $1,313,663.12 | 1.74% |
| 1959 | $1,322,880.40 | 0.70% |
| 1960 | $1,338,108.95 | 1.15% |
| 1961 | $1,342,917.97 | 0.36% |
| 1962 | $1,369,768.32 | 2.00% |
| 1963 | $1,381,390.11 | 0.85% |
| 1964 | $1,402,629.93 | 1.54% |
| 1965 | $1,419,461.49 | 1.20% |
| 1966 | $1,457,132.12 | 2.65% |
| 1967 | $1,495,604.26 | 2.64% |
| 1968 | $1,555,716.97 | 4.02% |
| 1969 | $1,656,706.32 | 6.49% |
| 1970 | $1,744,470.88 | 5.30% |
| 1971 | $1,809,392.61 | 3.72% |
| 1972 | $1,871,909.83 | 3.46% |
| 1973 | $1,970,494.68 | 5.27% |
| 1974 | $2,190,507.20 | 11.17% |
| 1975 | $2,457,407.64 | 12.18% |
| 1976 | $2,643,757.04 | 7.58% |
| 1977 | $2,834,915.47 | 7.23% |
| 1978 | $3,102,617.41 | 9.44% |
| 1979 | $3,514,589.86 | 13.28% |
| 1980 | $3,962,629.93 | 12.75% |
| 1981 | $4,358,973.07 | 10.00% |
| 1982 | $4,671,959.92 | 7.18% |
| 1983 | $4,805,009.39 | 2.85% |
| 1984 | $4,930,444.58 | 2.61% |
| 1985 | $5,041,051.97 | 2.24% |
| 1986 | $5,000,576.08 | -0.80% |
| 1987 | $5,112,385.72 | 2.24% |
| 1988 | $5,260,262.99 | 2.89% |
| 1989 | $5,478,271.76 | 4.14% |
| 1990 | $5,782,442.08 | 5.55% |
| 1991 | $6,009,668.13 | 3.93% |
| 1992 | $6,203,231.06 | 3.22% |
| 1993 | $6,403,206.01 | 3.22% |
| 1994 | $6,627,226.05 | 3.50% |
| 1995 | $6,718,597.37 | 1.38% |
| 1996 | $6,858,058.86 | 2.08% |
| 1997 | $6,987,501.57 | 1.89% |
| 1998 | $7,057,633.06 | 1.00% |
| 1999 | $7,145,397.62 | 1.24% |
| 2000 | $7,403,882.28 | 3.62% |
| 2001 | $7,633,112.09 | 3.10% |
| 2002 | $7,653,149.66 | 0.26% |
| 2003 | $7,863,944.90 | 2.75% |
| 2004 | $8,138,860.36 | 3.50% |
| 2005 | $8,432,611.15 | 3.61% |
| 2006 | $8,682,680.03 | 2.97% |
| 2007 | $8,826,718.10 | 1.66% |
| 2008 | $9,136,314.59 | 3.51% |
| 2009 | $9,150,950.03 | 0.16% |
| 2010 | $9,330,675.02 | 1.96% |
| 2011 | $9,629,880.03 | 3.21% |
| 2012 | $9,816,670.26 | 1.94% |
| 2013 | $9,967,589.23 | 1.54% |
| 2014 | $10,256,082.15 | 2.89% |
| 2015 | $10,246,343.89 | -0.09% |
| 2016 | $10,399,114.34 | 1.49% |
| 2017 | $10,610,687.04 | 2.03% |
| 2018 | $10,865,649.09 | 2.40% |
| 2019 | $11,000,674.26 | 1.24% |
| 2020 | $11,011,618.79 | 0.10% |
| 2021 | $11,471,665.37 | 4.18% |
| 2022 | $12,420,492.42 | 8.27% |
| 2023 | $12,862,208.64 | 3.56% |
| 2024 | $13,184,789.48 | 2.51% |
| 2025 | $13,328,388.73 | 1.09%* |
* 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 Houston, Texas:
| 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 | 9.500 | 9.500 | 9.617 | 11.092 | 13.425 | 16.367 | 19.133 | 17.450 | 15.908 | 15.892 | 15.842 | 16.083 | 16.167 | 15.833 | 15.633 | 15.617 | 15.508 | 14.142 | 12.708 | 11.683 | 12.225 | 12.692 | 12.833 | 13.317 | 13.308 | 13.192 | 13.225 | 13.800 | 15.242 | 16.050 | 16.200 | 16.542 | 17.850 | 20.983 | 22.733 | 22.667 | 23.350 | 25.217 | 25.525 | 25.792 | 25.833 | 25.600 | 25.992 | 26.850 | 27.317 | 27.508 | 27.825 | 27.925 | 28.483 | 28.725 | 29.167 | 29.517 | 30.300 | 31.100 | 32.350 | 34.450 | 36.275 | 37.625 | 38.925 | 40.975 | 45.550 | 51.100 | 54.975 | 58.950 | 64.517 | 73.083 | 82.400 | 90.642 | 97.150 | 99.917 | 102.525 | 104.825 | 103.983 | 106.308 | 109.383 | 113.917 | 120.242 | 124.967 | 128.992 | 133.150 | 137.808 | 139.708 | 142.608 | 145.300 | 146.758 | 148.583 | 153.958 | 158.725 | 159.142 | 163.525 | 169.242 | 175.350 | 180.550 | 183.545 | 189.983 | 190.287 | 194.025 | 200.246 | 204.130 | 207.269 | 213.268 | 213.065 | 216.242 | 220.641 | 225.943 | 228.751 | 228.979 | 238.545 | 258.275 | 267.460 | 274.168 | 277.154 |