According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for new cars are 710.26% higher in 2024 versus 1939 (a $106,539.56 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2024: Cars experienced an average inflation rate of 2.49% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, cars costing $15,000 in the year 1939 would cost $121,539.56 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.73% during this same period, inflation for cars was lower.
In the year 1939: Pricing changed by -2.29%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for cars during the 1939-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1939 (-1.31%), inflation for cars was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Cars, over time, for $15,000 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 | $15,000.00 | -2.29% |
| 1940 | $15,000.00 | 0.00% ** |
| 1941 | $16,197.18 | 7.98% |
| 1942 | $16,197.18 | 0.00% ** |
| 1943 | $16,197.18 | 0.00% ** |
| 1944 | $16,197.18 | 0.00% ** |
| 1945 | $16,197.18 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $16,197.18 | 0.00% ** |
| 1947 | $24,260.56 | 49.78% |
| 1948 | $26,436.62 | 8.97% |
| 1949 | $28,802.82 | 8.95% |
| 1950 | $28,957.75 | 0.54% |
| 1951 | $30,507.04 | 5.35% |
| 1952 | $33,028.17 | 8.26% |
| 1953 | $33,234.02 | 0.62% |
| 1954 | $32,713.98 | -1.56% |
| 1955 | $31,565.55 | -3.51% |
| 1956 | $32,437.70 | 2.76% |
| 1957 | $34,133.26 | 5.23% |
| 1958 | $35,232.94 | 3.22% |
| 1959 | $36,755.15 | 4.32% |
| 1960 | $36,273.02 | -1.31% |
| 1961 | $36,267.61 | -0.01% |
| 1962 | $36,132.18 | -0.37% |
| 1963 | $35,904.66 | -0.63% |
| 1964 | $35,828.82 | -0.21% |
| 1965 | $35,016.25 | -2.27% |
| 1966 | $34,371.61 | -1.84% |
| 1967 | $34,691.22 | 0.93% |
| 1968 | $35,671.72 | 2.83% |
| 1969 | $36,245.94 | 1.61% |
| 1970 | $37,345.61 | 3.03% |
| 1971 | $38,878.66 | 4.11% |
| 1972 | $38,542.80 | -0.86% |
| 1973 | $38,564.46 | 0.06% |
| 1974 | $40,796.32 | 5.79% |
| 1975 | $44,295.77 | 8.58% |
| 1976 | $47,101.84 | 6.33% |
| 1977 | $49,593.72 | 5.29% |
| 1978 | $53,385.70 | 7.65% |
| 1979 | $57,621.89 | 7.94% |
| 1980 | $62,231.85 | 8.00% |
| 1981 | $66,023.84 | 6.09% |
| 1982 | $68,564.46 | 3.85% |
| 1983 | $70,335.86 | 2.58% |
| 1984 | $72,361.86 | 2.88% |
| 1985 | $74,680.39 | 3.20% |
| 1986 | $77,898.16 | 4.31% |
| 1987 | $80,687.97 | 3.58% |
| 1988 | $82,291.44 | 1.99% |
| 1989 | $83,970.75 | 2.04% |
| 1990 | $85,189.60 | 1.45% |
| 1991 | $88,255.69 | 3.60% |
| 1992 | $90,395.45 | 2.42% |
| 1993 | $92,600.22 | 2.44% |
| 1994 | $95,763.81 | 3.42% |
| 1995 | $97,898.16 | 2.23% |
| 1996 | $99,599.13 | 1.74% |
| 1997 | $99,772.48 | 0.17% |
| 1998 | $99,084.51 | -0.69% |
| 1999 | $98,277.36 | -0.81% |
| 2000 | $98,277.36 | 0.00% ** |
| 2001 | $97,833.15 | -0.45% |
| 2002 | $96,679.31 | -1.18% |
| 2003 | $94,848.32 | -1.89% |
| 2004 | $94,322.86 | -0.55% |
| 2005 | $95,227.52 | 0.96% |
| 2006 | $96,072.59 | 0.89% |
| 2007 | $95,679.58 | -0.41% |
| 2008 | $95,352.60 | -0.34% |
| 2009 | $96,256.72 | 0.95% |
| 2010 | $97,249.51 | 1.03% |
| 2011 | $100,159.15 | 2.99% |
| 2012 | $101,533.69 | 1.37% |
| 2013 | $102,058.72 | 0.52% |
| 2014 | $101,738.73 | -0.31% |
| 2015 | $101,687.00 | -0.05% |
| 2016 | $101,190.30 | -0.49% |
| 2017 | $100,464.14 | -0.72% |
| 2018 | $99,977.41 | -0.48% |
| 2019 | $100,563.49 | 0.59% |
| 2020 | $101,376.87 | 0.81% |
| 2021 | $107,012.35 | 5.56% |
| 2022 | $118,861.54 | 11.07% |
| 2023 | $122,970.31 | 3.46% |
| 2024 | $121,539.56 | -1.16%* |
* 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 cars:
| Year | 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 | 20.300 | 20.400 | 20.800 | 21.800 | 21.300 | 21.300 | 23.000 | 23.000 | 23.000 | 23.000 | 23.000 | 23.000 | 34.450 | 37.540 | 40.900 | 41.120 | 43.320 | 46.900 | 47.192 | 46.454 | 44.823 | 46.062 | 48.469 | 50.031 | 52.192 | 51.508 | 51.500 | 51.308 | 50.985 | 50.877 | 49.723 | 48.808 | 49.262 | 50.654 | 51.469 | 53.031 | 55.208 | 54.731 | 54.762 | 57.931 | 62.900 | 66.885 | 70.423 | 75.808 | 81.823 | 88.369 | 93.754 | 97.362 | 99.877 | 102.754 | 106.046 | 110.615 | 114.577 | 116.854 | 119.238 | 120.969 | 125.323 | 128.362 | 131.492 | 135.985 | 139.015 | 141.431 | 141.677 | 140.700 | 139.554 | 139.554 | 138.923 | 137.285 | 134.685 | 133.938 | 135.223 | 136.423 | 135.865 | 135.401 | 136.685 | 138.094 | 142.226 | 144.178 | 144.923 | 144.469 | 144.396 | 143.690 | 142.659 | 141.968 | 142.800 | 143.955 | 151.958 | 168.783 | 174.618 | 172.586 |