According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Houston, Texas are 2,004.68% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $231,059.48 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2026:Houston experienced an average inflation rate of 3.61% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $11,526 in Houston in the year 1940 would cost $242,585.48 in 2026 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 1940: Pricing changed by 0.25%, which is significantly below the average yearly change in Houston during the 1940-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1940 (0.72%), inflation in Houston was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Houston, over time, for $11,526 beginning in 1940. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | $11,526.00 | 0.25% |
| 1941 | $12,027.13 | 4.35% |
| 1942 | $13,283.59 | 10.45% |
| 1943 | $13,988.08 | 5.30% |
| 1944 | $14,118.81 | 0.93% |
| 1945 | $14,416.58 | 2.11% |
| 1946 | $15,556.83 | 7.91% |
| 1947 | $18,287.63 | 17.55% |
| 1948 | $19,812.81 | 8.34% |
| 1949 | $19,754.71 | -0.29% |
| 1950 | $20,350.25 | 3.01% |
| 1951 | $21,977.11 | 7.99% |
| 1952 | $22,245.83 | 1.22% |
| 1953 | $22,478.24 | 1.04% |
| 1954 | $22,514.56 | 0.16% |
| 1955 | $22,311.20 | -0.90% |
| 1956 | $22,652.55 | 1.53% |
| 1957 | $23,400.61 | 3.30% |
| 1958 | $23,807.33 | 1.74% |
| 1959 | $23,974.37 | 0.70% |
| 1960 | $24,250.36 | 1.15% |
| 1961 | $24,337.51 | 0.36% |
| 1962 | $24,824.11 | 2.00% |
| 1963 | $25,034.73 | 0.85% |
| 1964 | $25,419.66 | 1.54% |
| 1965 | $25,724.70 | 1.20% |
| 1966 | $26,407.40 | 2.65% |
| 1967 | $27,104.62 | 2.64% |
| 1968 | $28,194.03 | 4.02% |
| 1969 | $30,024.25 | 6.49% |
| 1970 | $31,614.79 | 5.30% |
| 1971 | $32,791.36 | 3.72% |
| 1972 | $33,924.35 | 3.46% |
| 1973 | $35,710.99 | 5.27% |
| 1974 | $39,698.25 | 11.17% |
| 1975 | $44,535.24 | 12.18% |
| 1976 | $47,912.43 | 7.58% |
| 1977 | $51,376.76 | 7.23% |
| 1978 | $56,228.29 | 9.44% |
| 1979 | $63,694.40 | 13.28% |
| 1980 | $71,814.17 | 12.75% |
| 1981 | $78,997.04 | 10.00% |
| 1982 | $84,669.26 | 7.18% |
| 1983 | $87,080.49 | 2.85% |
| 1984 | $89,353.74 | 2.61% |
| 1985 | $91,358.26 | 2.24% |
| 1986 | $90,624.72 | -0.80% |
| 1987 | $92,651.03 | 2.24% |
| 1988 | $95,330.99 | 2.89% |
| 1989 | $99,281.93 | 4.14% |
| 1990 | $104,794.36 | 5.55% |
| 1991 | $108,912.35 | 3.93% |
| 1992 | $112,420.26 | 3.22% |
| 1993 | $116,044.38 | 3.22% |
| 1994 | $120,104.26 | 3.50% |
| 1995 | $121,760.17 | 1.38% |
| 1996 | $124,287.61 | 2.08% |
| 1997 | $126,633.48 | 1.89% |
| 1998 | $127,904.47 | 1.00% |
| 1999 | $129,495.01 | 1.24% |
| 2000 | $134,179.49 | 3.62% |
| 2001 | $138,333.79 | 3.10% |
| 2002 | $138,696.93 | 0.26% |
| 2003 | $142,517.14 | 2.75% |
| 2004 | $147,499.39 | 3.50% |
| 2005 | $152,822.99 | 3.61% |
| 2006 | $157,354.96 | 2.97% |
| 2007 | $159,965.34 | 1.66% |
| 2008 | $165,576.11 | 3.51% |
| 2009 | $165,841.35 | 0.16% |
| 2010 | $169,098.48 | 1.96% |
| 2011 | $174,520.93 | 3.21% |
| 2012 | $177,906.10 | 1.94% |
| 2013 | $180,641.18 | 1.54% |
| 2014 | $185,869.50 | 2.89% |
| 2015 | $185,693.01 | -0.09% |
| 2016 | $188,461.65 | 1.49% |
| 2017 | $192,295.95 | 2.03% |
| 2018 | $196,916.59 | 2.40% |
| 2019 | $199,363.63 | 1.24% |
| 2020 | $199,561.98 | 0.10% |
| 2021 | $207,899.34 | 4.18% |
| 2022 | $225,094.79 | 8.27% |
| 2023 | $233,099.95 | 3.56% |
| 2024 | $238,946.04 | 2.51% |
| 2025 | $241,922.46 | 1.25% |
| 2026 | $242,585.48 | 0.27%* |
* 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 | 2026 |
| 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 | 277.583 | 278.344 |