According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Houston, Texas are 2,000.98% higher in 2025 versus 1939 (a $5,002.45 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2025: Houston experienced an average inflation rate of 3.60% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $250 in Houston in the year 1939 would cost $5,252.45 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.72% 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 1939-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1939 (-1.31%), inflation in Houston was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Houston, over time, for $250 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 | $250.00 | -0.88% |
| 1940 | $250.63 | 0.25% |
| 1941 | $261.53 | 4.35% |
| 1942 | $288.85 | 10.45% |
| 1943 | $304.17 | 5.30% |
| 1944 | $307.01 | 0.93% |
| 1945 | $313.49 | 2.11% |
| 1946 | $338.28 | 7.91% |
| 1947 | $397.66 | 17.55% |
| 1948 | $430.83 | 8.34% |
| 1949 | $429.56 | -0.29% |
| 1950 | $442.51 | 3.01% |
| 1951 | $477.89 | 7.99% |
| 1952 | $483.73 | 1.22% |
| 1953 | $488.79 | 1.04% |
| 1954 | $489.58 | 0.16% |
| 1955 | $485.15 | -0.90% |
| 1956 | $492.58 | 1.53% |
| 1957 | $508.84 | 3.30% |
| 1958 | $517.69 | 1.74% |
| 1959 | $521.32 | 0.70% |
| 1960 | $527.32 | 1.15% |
| 1961 | $529.22 | 0.36% |
| 1962 | $539.80 | 2.00% |
| 1963 | $544.38 | 0.85% |
| 1964 | $552.75 | 1.54% |
| 1965 | $559.38 | 1.20% |
| 1966 | $574.23 | 2.65% |
| 1967 | $589.39 | 2.64% |
| 1968 | $613.08 | 4.02% |
| 1969 | $652.87 | 6.49% |
| 1970 | $687.46 | 5.30% |
| 1971 | $713.04 | 3.72% |
| 1972 | $737.68 | 3.46% |
| 1973 | $776.53 | 5.27% |
| 1974 | $863.23 | 11.17% |
| 1975 | $968.41 | 12.18% |
| 1976 | $1,041.85 | 7.58% |
| 1977 | $1,117.18 | 7.23% |
| 1978 | $1,222.68 | 9.44% |
| 1979 | $1,385.03 | 13.28% |
| 1980 | $1,561.59 | 12.75% |
| 1981 | $1,717.78 | 10.00% |
| 1982 | $1,841.12 | 7.18% |
| 1983 | $1,893.56 | 2.85% |
| 1984 | $1,942.99 | 2.61% |
| 1985 | $1,986.58 | 2.24% |
| 1986 | $1,970.63 | -0.80% |
| 1987 | $2,014.69 | 2.24% |
| 1988 | $2,072.96 | 2.89% |
| 1989 | $2,158.88 | 4.14% |
| 1990 | $2,278.74 | 5.55% |
| 1991 | $2,368.29 | 3.93% |
| 1992 | $2,444.57 | 3.22% |
| 1993 | $2,523.37 | 3.22% |
| 1994 | $2,611.66 | 3.50% |
| 1995 | $2,647.66 | 1.38% |
| 1996 | $2,702.62 | 2.08% |
| 1997 | $2,753.63 | 1.89% |
| 1998 | $2,781.27 | 1.00% |
| 1999 | $2,815.86 | 1.24% |
| 2000 | $2,917.72 | 3.62% |
| 2001 | $3,008.05 | 3.10% |
| 2002 | $3,015.95 | 0.26% |
| 2003 | $3,099.02 | 2.75% |
| 2004 | $3,207.36 | 3.50% |
| 2005 | $3,323.12 | 3.61% |
| 2006 | $3,421.67 | 2.97% |
| 2007 | $3,478.43 | 1.66% |
| 2008 | $3,600.44 | 3.51% |
| 2009 | $3,606.20 | 0.16% |
| 2010 | $3,677.03 | 1.96% |
| 2011 | $3,794.94 | 3.21% |
| 2012 | $3,868.55 | 1.94% |
| 2013 | $3,928.02 | 1.54% |
| 2014 | $4,041.71 | 2.89% |
| 2015 | $4,037.88 | -0.09% |
| 2016 | $4,098.08 | 1.49% |
| 2017 | $4,181.46 | 2.03% |
| 2018 | $4,281.93 | 2.40% |
| 2019 | $4,335.14 | 1.24% |
| 2020 | $4,339.46 | 0.10% |
| 2021 | $4,520.75 | 4.18% |
| 2022 | $4,894.66 | 8.27% |
| 2023 | $5,068.73 | 3.56% |
| 2024 | $5,195.86 | 2.51% |
| 2025 | $5,252.45 | 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 |