Vehicles priced at $20,000 in 1945 $154,749.04 in 2024

Vehicles Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Vehicles, 1945-2024 ($20,000)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for new vehicles are 673.75% higher in 2024 versus 1945 (a $134,749.04 difference in value).

Between 1945 and 2024: Vehicles experienced an average inflation rate of 2.62% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, vehicles costing $20,000 in the year 1945 would cost $154,749.04 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.68% during this same period, inflation for vehicles was lower.

In the year 1945: Pricing changed by 0%, which is below the average yearly change for vehicles during the 1945-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1945 (2.27%), inflation for vehicles was lower.

Price Inflation for New vehicles since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1947 (50%), 2022 (10.39%), and 1949 (9.10%).

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Buying power of $20,000.00 since 1945

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Vehicles, over time, for $20,000 beginning in 1945. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1945$20,000.00-
1946$20,000.000.00% **
1947$30,000.0050.00%
1948$32,678.268.93%
1949$35,652.179.10%
1950$35,843.480.54%
1951$37,704.355.19%
1952$40,817.398.26%
1953$41,090.300.67%
1954$40,441.47-1.58%
1955$39,023.41-3.51%
1956$40,120.402.81%
1957$42,214.055.22%
1958$43,571.913.22%
1959$45,431.444.27%
1960$44,842.81-1.30%
1961$44,836.12-0.01%
1962$44,662.21-0.39%
1963$44,394.65-0.60%
1964$44,267.56-0.29%
1965$43,297.66-2.19%
1966$42,515.05-1.81%
1967$42,909.700.93%
1968$44,080.272.73%
1969$44,795.991.62%
1970$46,200.673.14%
1971$48,066.894.04%
1972$47,645.48-0.88%
1973$47,658.860.03%
1974$50,421.405.80%
1975$54,769.238.62%
1976$58,234.116.33%
1977$61,324.415.31%
1978$66,000.007.62%
1979$71,237.467.94%
1980$76,929.777.99%
1981$81,625.426.10%
1982$84,762.543.84%
1983$86,849.502.46%
1984$89,244.152.76%
1985$92,220.743.34%
1986$96,173.914.29%
1987$99,464.883.42%
1988$101,317.731.86%
1989$103,618.732.27%
1990$105,565.221.88%
1991$109,551.843.78%
1992$112,354.522.56%
1993$115,424.752.73%
1994$119,638.803.65%
1995$122,568.562.45%
1996$124,929.771.93%
1997$125,438.130.41%
1998$124,729.10-0.57%
1999$124,227.42-0.40%
2000$124,133.78-0.08%
2001$123,571.91-0.45%
2002$121,739.13-1.48%
2003$119,872.91-1.53%
2004$119,183.95-0.57%
2005$119,919.730.62%
2006$119,638.80-0.23%
2007$118,482.07-0.97%
2008$116,690.17-1.51%
2009$117,933.381.07%
2010$120,004.751.76%
2011$123,376.862.81%
2012$125,419.201.66%
2013$126,768.091.08%
2014$127,195.520.34%
2015$127,943.480.59%
2016$128,136.990.15%
2017$127,819.33-0.25%
2018$127,205.82-0.48%
2019$127,681.740.37%
2020$128,348.030.52%
2021$135,861.205.85%
2022$149,982.7410.39%
2023$155,564.153.72%
2024$154,749.04-0.52%*

* 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 vehicles:

Year193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI20.30020.40020.80021.80021.30021.40023.00023.00023.00023.00023.00023.00034.50037.58041.00041.22043.36046.94047.25446.50844.87746.13848.54650.10852.24651.56951.56251.36251.05450.90849.79248.89249.34650.69251.51553.13155.27754.79254.80857.98562.98566.96970.52375.90081.92388.46993.86997.47799.877102.631106.054110.600114.385116.515119.162121.400125.985129.208132.738137.585140.954143.669144.254143.438142.862142.754142.108140.000137.854137.062137.908137.585136.254134.194135.623138.005141.883144.232145.783146.275147.135147.358146.992146.287146.834147.600156.240172.480178.899177.961

Adjust vehicles prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1945 * 1945 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for New vehicles was 23.000 in the year 1945 and 177.961 in 2024:

177.961 / 23.000 * $20,000 = $154,749.04

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20,000 in 1945 has the same "purchasing power" as $154,749.04 in 2024 (in the CPI category of New vehicles).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for New vehicles in 1935. In addition to vehicles, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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