Houston price inflation, 1939→2024

Inflation in Texas

Prices in Houston, 1939-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Houston, Texas are 1,977.79% higher in 2024 versus 1939 (a $395.56 difference in value).

Between 1939 and 2024: Houston experienced an average inflation rate of 3.63% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $20 in Houston in the year 1939 would cost $415.56 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.73% during this same period, inflation in Houston was lower.

In the year 1939: Pricing changed by -0.88%, which is significantly below the average yearly change in Houston during the 1939-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1939 (-1.31%), inflation in Houston was higher.

Price Inflation in Houston, Texas since 1914

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1919 (21.91%), 1918 (21.04%), and 1947 (17.55%).

View price changes for other categories
Electricity · College tuition and fees · Televisions · Jewelry · More

Buying power of $20.00 since 1939

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Houston, over time, for $20 beginning in 1939. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1939	$20.00	-0.88%
1940	$20.05	0.25%
1941	$20.92	4.35%
1942	$23.11	10.45%
1943	$24.33	5.30%
1944	$24.56	0.93%
1945	$25.08	2.11%
1946	$27.06	7.91%
1947	$31.81	17.55%
1948	$34.47	8.34%
1949	$34.37	-0.29%
1950	$35.40	3.01%
1951	$38.23	7.99%
1952	$38.70	1.22%
1953	$39.10	1.04%
1954	$39.17	0.16%
1955	$38.81	-0.90%
1956	$39.41	1.53%
1957	$40.71	3.30%
1958	$41.42	1.74%
1959	$41.71	0.70%
1960	$42.19	1.15%
1961	$42.34	0.36%
1962	$43.18	2.00%
1963	$43.55	0.85%
1964	$44.22	1.54%
1965	$44.75	1.20%
1966	$45.94	2.65%
1967	$47.15	2.64%
1968	$49.05	4.02%
1969	$52.23	6.49%
1970	$55.00	5.30%
1971	$57.04	3.72%
1972	$59.01	3.46%
1973	$62.12	5.27%
1974	$69.06	11.17%
1975	$77.47	12.18%
1976	$83.35	7.58%
1977	$89.37	7.23%
1978	$97.81	9.44%
1979	$110.80	13.28%
1980	$124.93	12.75%
1981	$137.42	10.00%
1982	$147.29	7.18%
1983	$151.48	2.85%
1984	$155.44	2.61%
1985	$158.93	2.24%
1986	$157.65	-0.80%
1987	$161.17	2.24%
1988	$165.84	2.89%
1989	$172.71	4.14%
1990	$182.30	5.55%
1991	$189.46	3.93%
1992	$195.57	3.22%
1993	$201.87	3.22%
1994	$208.93	3.50%
1995	$211.81	1.38%
1996	$216.21	2.08%
1997	$220.29	1.89%
1998	$222.50	1.00%
1999	$225.27	1.24%
2000	$233.42	3.62%
2001	$240.64	3.10%
2002	$241.28	0.26%
2003	$247.92	2.75%
2004	$256.59	3.50%
2005	$265.85	3.61%
2006	$273.73	2.97%
2007	$278.27	1.66%
2008	$288.03	3.51%
2009	$288.50	0.16%
2010	$294.16	1.96%
2011	$303.60	3.21%
2012	$309.48	1.94%
2013	$314.24	1.54%
2014	$323.34	2.89%
2015	$323.03	-0.09%
2016	$327.85	1.49%
2017	$334.52	2.03%
2018	$342.55	2.40%
2019	$346.81	1.24%
2020	$347.16	0.10%
2021	$361.66	4.18%
2022	$391.57	8.27%
2023	$405.50	3.56%
2024	$415.56	2.48%*

* 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
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	274.095

Adjust Houston prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1939 * 1939 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Houston, Texas was 13.192 in the year 1939 and 274.095 in 2024:

274.095 / 13.192 * $20 = $415.56

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1939 has the same "purchasing power" as $415.56 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Houston, Texas).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Houston, Texas in 1914. In addition to Houston, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.