According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Houston, Texas are 1,995.68% higher in 2025 versus 1940 (a $67,653.67 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2025: Houston experienced an average inflation rate of 3.64% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $3,390 in Houston in the year 1940 would cost $71,043.67 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.75% 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 1940-2025 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 $3,390 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 | $3,390.00 | 0.25% |
| 1941 | $3,537.39 | 4.35% |
| 1942 | $3,906.94 | 10.45% |
| 1943 | $4,114.14 | 5.30% |
| 1944 | $4,152.59 | 0.93% |
| 1945 | $4,240.17 | 2.11% |
| 1946 | $4,575.54 | 7.91% |
| 1947 | $5,378.71 | 17.55% |
| 1948 | $5,827.30 | 8.34% |
| 1949 | $5,810.21 | -0.29% |
| 1950 | $5,985.37 | 3.01% |
| 1951 | $6,463.86 | 7.99% |
| 1952 | $6,542.89 | 1.22% |
| 1953 | $6,611.25 | 1.04% |
| 1954 | $6,621.93 | 0.16% |
| 1955 | $6,562.12 | -0.90% |
| 1956 | $6,662.51 | 1.53% |
| 1957 | $6,882.53 | 3.30% |
| 1958 | $7,002.16 | 1.74% |
| 1959 | $7,051.29 | 0.70% |
| 1960 | $7,132.46 | 1.15% |
| 1961 | $7,158.09 | 0.36% |
| 1962 | $7,301.21 | 2.00% |
| 1963 | $7,363.16 | 0.85% |
| 1964 | $7,476.37 | 1.54% |
| 1965 | $7,566.09 | 1.20% |
| 1966 | $7,766.88 | 2.65% |
| 1967 | $7,971.95 | 2.64% |
| 1968 | $8,292.36 | 4.02% |
| 1969 | $8,830.66 | 6.49% |
| 1970 | $9,298.47 | 5.30% |
| 1971 | $9,644.52 | 3.72% |
| 1972 | $9,977.75 | 3.46% |
| 1973 | $10,503.23 | 5.27% |
| 1974 | $11,675.95 | 11.17% |
| 1975 | $13,098.60 | 12.18% |
| 1976 | $14,091.89 | 7.58% |
| 1977 | $15,110.81 | 7.23% |
| 1978 | $16,537.73 | 9.44% |
| 1979 | $18,733.65 | 13.28% |
| 1980 | $21,121.81 | 12.75% |
| 1981 | $23,234.42 | 10.00% |
| 1982 | $24,902.72 | 7.18% |
| 1983 | $25,611.91 | 2.85% |
| 1984 | $26,280.51 | 2.61% |
| 1985 | $26,870.08 | 2.24% |
| 1986 | $26,654.33 | -0.80% |
| 1987 | $27,250.30 | 2.24% |
| 1988 | $28,038.53 | 2.89% |
| 1989 | $29,200.57 | 4.14% |
| 1990 | $30,821.87 | 5.55% |
| 1991 | $32,033.04 | 3.93% |
| 1992 | $33,064.78 | 3.22% |
| 1993 | $34,130.70 | 3.22% |
| 1994 | $35,324.78 | 3.50% |
| 1995 | $35,811.81 | 1.38% |
| 1996 | $36,555.18 | 2.08% |
| 1997 | $37,245.14 | 1.89% |
| 1998 | $37,618.96 | 1.00% |
| 1999 | $38,086.77 | 1.24% |
| 2000 | $39,464.56 | 3.62% |
| 2001 | $40,686.41 | 3.10% |
| 2002 | $40,793.21 | 0.26% |
| 2003 | $41,916.81 | 2.75% |
| 2004 | $43,382.17 | 3.50% |
| 2005 | $44,947.94 | 3.61% |
| 2006 | $46,280.87 | 2.97% |
| 2007 | $47,048.63 | 1.66% |
| 2008 | $48,698.86 | 3.51% |
| 2009 | $48,776.87 | 0.16% |
| 2010 | $49,734.85 | 1.96% |
| 2011 | $51,329.68 | 3.21% |
| 2012 | $52,325.32 | 1.94% |
| 2013 | $53,129.76 | 1.54% |
| 2014 | $54,667.50 | 2.89% |
| 2015 | $54,615.59 | -0.09% |
| 2016 | $55,429.90 | 1.49% |
| 2017 | $56,557.63 | 2.03% |
| 2018 | $57,916.64 | 2.40% |
| 2019 | $58,636.36 | 1.24% |
| 2020 | $58,694.70 | 0.10% |
| 2021 | $61,146.86 | 4.18% |
| 2022 | $66,204.35 | 8.27% |
| 2023 | $68,558.81 | 3.56% |
| 2024 | $70,278.25 | 2.51% |
| 2025 | $71,043.67 | 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 |