Vehicles priced at $47,200 in 1980 $78,338.70 in 2019

Vehicles Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Vehicles, 1980-2019 ($47,200)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for new vehicles were 65.97% higher in 2019 versus 1980 (a $31,138.70 difference in value).

Between 1980 and 2019: Vehicles experienced an average inflation rate of 1.31% per year. In other words, vehicles costing $47,200 in the year 1980 would cost $78,338.70 in 2019 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.95% during this same period, inflation for vehicles was lower.

In the year 1980: Pricing changed by 7.99%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for vehicles during the 1980-2019 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1980 (13.55%), inflation for vehicles was much 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 $47,200.00 since 1980

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Vehicles, over time, for $47,200 beginning in 1980. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1980$47,200.007.99%
1981$50,081.006.10%
1982$52,005.773.84%
1983$53,286.222.46%
1984$54,755.452.76%
1985$56,581.723.34%
1986$59,007.184.29%
1987$61,026.353.42%
1988$62,163.151.86%
1989$63,574.922.27%
1990$64,769.191.88%
1991$67,215.163.78%
1992$68,934.742.56%
1993$70,818.472.73%
1994$73,403.983.65%
1995$75,201.532.45%
1996$76,650.241.93%
1997$76,962.140.41%
1998$76,527.12-0.57%
1999$76,219.32-0.40%
2000$76,161.86-0.08%
2001$75,817.13-0.45%
2002$74,692.64-1.48%
2003$73,547.62-1.53%
2004$73,124.91-0.57%
2005$73,576.350.62%
2006$73,403.98-0.23%
2007$72,694.28-0.97%
2008$71,594.86-1.51%
2009$72,357.631.07%
2010$73,628.511.76%
2011$75,697.462.81%
2012$76,950.531.66%
2013$77,778.141.08%
2014$78,040.380.34%
2015$78,499.290.59%
2016$78,618.020.15%
2017$78,423.12-0.25%
2018$78,046.70-0.48%
2019$78,338.700.37%
2020$78,747.500.52%
2021$83,357.195.85%
2022$92,021.4110.39%
2023$95,445.863.72%
2024$95,282.99-0.17%*

* 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
CPI20.30020.40020.80021.80021.30021.40023.00023.00023.00023.00023.00023.00034.50037.58041.00041.22043.36046.94047.25446.50844.87746.13848.54650.10852.24651.56951.56251.36251.05450.90849.79248.89249.34650.69251.51553.13155.27754.79254.80857.98562.98566.96970.52375.90081.92388.46993.86997.47799.877102.631106.054110.600114.385116.515119.162121.400125.985129.208132.738137.585140.954143.669144.254143.438142.862142.754142.108140.000137.854137.062137.908137.585136.254134.194135.623138.005141.883144.232145.783146.275147.135147.358146.992146.287146.834147.600156.240172.480178.899178.594

Adjust vehicles prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2019 / CPI in 1980 * 1980 USD value = 2019 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for New vehicles was 88.469 in the year 1980 and 146.834 in 2019:

146.834 / 88.469 * $47,200 = $78,338.70

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $47,200 in 1980 has the same "purchasing power" as $78,338.70 in 2019 (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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