According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in New York are 2,265.89% higher in 2025 versus 1939 (a $11,102,882.22 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2025: New York experienced an average inflation rate of 3.75% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $490,000 in New York in the year 1939 would cost $11,592,882.22 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.72% during this same period, inflation in New York was higher.
In the year 1939: Pricing changed by -0.46%, which is significantly below the average yearly change in New York during the 1939-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1939 (-1.31%), inflation in New York was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in New York, over time, for $490,000 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 | $490,000.00 | -0.46% |
| 1940 | $495,051.55 | 1.03% |
| 1941 | $513,573.88 | 3.74% |
| 1942 | $562,966.78 | 9.62% |
| 1943 | $605,063.00 | 7.48% |
| 1944 | $619,656.36 | 2.41% |
| 1945 | $633,969.07 | 2.31% |
| 1946 | $696,552.12 | 9.87% |
| 1947 | $780,183.28 | 12.01% |
| 1948 | $833,224.51 | 6.80% |
| 1949 | $823,963.34 | -1.11% |
| 1950 | $828,734.25 | 0.58% |
| 1951 | $890,475.37 | 7.45% |
| 1952 | $905,910.65 | 1.73% |
| 1953 | $910,681.56 | 0.53% |
| 1954 | $916,294.39 | 0.62% |
| 1955 | $912,084.77 | -0.46% |
| 1956 | $925,555.56 | 1.48% |
| 1957 | $955,022.91 | 3.18% |
| 1958 | $983,648.34 | 3.00% |
| 1959 | $998,522.34 | 1.51% |
| 1960 | $1,016,764.03 | 1.83% |
| 1961 | $1,025,744.56 | 0.88% |
| 1962 | $1,041,460.48 | 1.53% |
| 1963 | $1,064,192.44 | 2.18% |
| 1964 | $1,080,750.29 | 1.56% |
| 1965 | $1,098,150.06 | 1.61% |
| 1966 | $1,135,194.73 | 3.37% |
| 1967 | $1,164,662.08 | 2.60% |
| 1968 | $1,214,896.91 | 4.31% |
| 1969 | $1,290,108.82 | 6.19% |
| 1970 | $1,385,807.56 | 7.42% |
| 1971 | $1,466,071.02 | 5.79% |
| 1972 | $1,530,618.56 | 4.40% |
| 1973 | $1,628,001.15 | 6.36% |
| 1974 | $1,803,121.42 | 10.76% |
| 1975 | $1,940,074.46 | 7.60% |
| 1976 | $2,054,014.89 | 5.87% |
| 1977 | $2,160,939.29 | 5.21% |
| 1978 | $2,284,982.82 | 5.74% |
| 1979 | $2,482,835.05 | 8.66% |
| 1980 | $2,763,195.88 | 11.29% |
| 1981 | $3,035,137.46 | 9.84% |
| 1982 | $3,210,538.37 | 5.78% |
| 1983 | $3,362,084.77 | 4.72% |
| 1984 | $3,530,469.64 | 5.01% |
| 1985 | $3,660,967.93 | 3.70% |
| 1986 | $3,781,082.47 | 3.28% |
| 1987 | $3,972,199.31 | 5.05% |
| 1988 | $4,165,280.64 | 4.86% |
| 1989 | $4,396,809.85 | 5.56% |
| 1990 | $4,665,664.38 | 6.11% |
| 1991 | $4,876,426.12 | 4.52% |
| 1992 | $5,052,388.32 | 3.61% |
| 1993 | $5,203,373.42 | 2.99% |
| 1994 | $5,327,136.31 | 2.38% |
| 1995 | $5,461,002.29 | 2.51% |
| 1996 | $5,621,529.21 | 2.94% |
| 1997 | $5,752,588.77 | 2.33% |
| 1998 | $5,846,603.67 | 1.63% |
| 1999 | $5,960,263.46 | 1.94% |
| 2000 | $6,145,486.83 | 3.11% |
| 2001 | $6,302,084.77 | 2.55% |
| 2002 | $6,462,611.68 | 2.55% |
| 2003 | $6,661,025.20 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $6,895,922.11 | 3.53% |
| 2005 | $7,163,373.42 | 3.88% |
| 2006 | $7,433,911.80 | 3.78% |
| 2007 | $7,642,655.73 | 2.81% |
| 2008 | $7,940,438.77 | 3.90% |
| 2009 | $7,975,535.80 | 0.44% |
| 2010 | $8,111,576.75 | 1.71% |
| 2011 | $8,342,379.10 | 2.85% |
| 2012 | $8,506,411.23 | 1.97% |
| 2013 | $8,649,361.57 | 1.68% |
| 2014 | $8,763,745.42 | 1.32% |
| 2015 | $8,774,811.11 | 0.13% |
| 2016 | $8,869,333.96 | 1.08% |
| 2017 | $9,042,955.61 | 1.96% |
| 2018 | $9,215,384.54 | 1.91% |
| 2019 | $9,367,727.95 | 1.65% |
| 2020 | $9,527,876.00 | 1.71% |
| 2021 | $9,843,867.07 | 3.32% |
| 2022 | $10,444,622.22 | 6.10% |
| 2023 | $10,843,916.09 | 3.82% |
| 2024 | $11,255,131.62 | 3.79% |
| 2025 | $11,592,882.22 | 3.00%* |
* 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 New York:
| 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 | 9.900 | 9.917 | 10.200 | 11.508 | 14.050 | 17.158 | 20.117 | 18.408 | 17.283 | 17.458 | 17.492 | 17.767 | 18.267 | 18.050 | 17.875 | 17.808 | 17.575 | 16.367 | 14.950 | 13.933 | 14.192 | 14.375 | 14.550 | 14.867 | 14.617 | 14.550 | 14.700 | 15.250 | 16.717 | 17.967 | 18.400 | 18.825 | 20.683 | 23.167 | 24.742 | 24.467 | 24.608 | 26.442 | 26.900 | 27.042 | 27.208 | 27.083 | 27.483 | 28.358 | 29.208 | 29.650 | 30.192 | 30.458 | 30.925 | 31.600 | 32.092 | 32.608 | 33.708 | 34.583 | 36.075 | 38.308 | 41.150 | 43.533 | 45.450 | 48.342 | 53.542 | 57.608 | 60.992 | 64.167 | 67.850 | 73.725 | 82.050 | 90.125 | 95.333 | 99.833 | 104.833 | 108.708 | 112.275 | 117.950 | 123.683 | 130.558 | 138.542 | 144.800 | 150.025 | 154.508 | 158.183 | 162.158 | 166.925 | 170.817 | 173.608 | 176.983 | 182.483 | 187.133 | 191.900 | 197.792 | 204.767 | 212.708 | 220.742 | 226.940 | 235.782 | 236.825 | 240.864 | 247.718 | 252.588 | 256.833 | 260.230 | 260.558 | 263.365 | 268.520 | 273.641 | 278.164 | 282.920 | 292.303 | 310.141 | 321.998 | 334.209 | 344.238 |