According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for rent of primary residence are 1,363.03% higher in 2026 versus 1931 (a $13,630.31 difference in value).
Between 1931 and 2026:Rent experienced an average inflation rate of 2.86% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, rent costing $1,000 in the year 1931 would cost $14,630.31 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.27% during this same period, inflation for rent was lower.
In the year 1931: Pricing changed by -4.56%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for rent during the 1931-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1931 (-8.93%), inflation for rent was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Rent, over time, for $1,000 beginning in 1931. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1931 | $1,000.00 | -4.56% |
| 1932 | $910.07 | -8.99% |
| 1933 | $781.29 | -14.15% |
| 1934 | $716.98 | -8.23% |
| 1935 | $711.71 | -0.73% |
| 1936 | $727.17 | 2.17% |
| 1937 | $759.37 | 4.43% |
| 1938 | $787.40 | 3.69% |
| 1939 | $789.34 | 0.25% |
| 1940 | $790.45 | 0.14% |
| 1941 | $804.33 | 1.76% |
| 1942 | $822.37 | 2.24% |
| 1943 | $822.37 | 0.00% ** |
| 1944 | $824.31 | 0.24% |
| 1945 | $826.26 | 0.24% |
| 1946 | $831.25 | 0.60% |
| 1947 | $859.01 | 3.34% |
| 1948 | $915.90 | 6.62% |
| 1949 | $955.59 | 4.33% |
| 1950 | $991.12 | 3.72% |
| 1951 | $1,029.98 | 3.92% |
| 1952 | $1,072.99 | 4.18% |
| 1953 | $1,129.34 | 5.25% |
| 1954 | $1,169.58 | 3.56% |
| 1955 | $1,185.96 | 1.40% |
| 1956 | $1,207.60 | 1.83% |
| 1957 | $1,230.92 | 1.93% |
| 1958 | $1,253.68 | 1.85% |
| 1959 | $1,271.44 | 1.42% |
| 1960 | $1,290.31 | 1.48% |
| 1961 | $1,306.69 | 1.27% |
| 1962 | $1,322.79 | 1.23% |
| 1963 | $1,336.11 | 1.01% |
| 1964 | $1,349.99 | 1.04% |
| 1965 | $1,363.31 | 0.99% |
| 1966 | $1,381.90 | 1.36% |
| 1967 | $1,406.88 | 1.81% |
| 1968 | $1,440.47 | 2.39% |
| 1969 | $1,487.09 | 3.24% |
| 1970 | $1,548.71 | 4.14% |
| 1971 | $1,620.32 | 4.62% |
| 1972 | $1,676.10 | 3.44% |
| 1973 | $1,749.38 | 4.37% |
| 1974 | $1,836.80 | 5.00% |
| 1975 | $1,931.72 | 5.17% |
| 1976 | $2,036.36 | 5.42% |
| 1977 | $2,158.76 | 6.01% |
| 1978 | $2,307.24 | 6.88% |
| 1979 | $2,475.99 | 7.31% |
| 1980 | $2,694.98 | 8.84% |
| 1981 | $2,928.95 | 8.68% |
| 1982 | $3,151.54 | 7.60% |
| 1983 | $3,333.61 | 5.78% |
| 1984 | $3,506.80 | 5.20% |
| 1985 | $3,722.18 | 6.14% |
| 1986 | $3,939.22 | 5.83% |
| 1987 | $4,101.58 | 4.12% |
| 1988 | $4,257.84 | 3.81% |
| 1989 | $4,423.26 | 3.89% |
| 1990 | $4,609.77 | 4.22% |
| 1991 | $4,773.24 | 3.55% |
| 1992 | $4,892.87 | 2.51% |
| 1993 | $5,007.22 | 2.34% |
| 1994 | $5,129.34 | 2.44% |
| 1995 | $5,254.79 | 2.45% |
| 1996 | $5,393.84 | 2.65% |
| 1997 | $5,550.93 | 2.91% |
| 1998 | $5,731.06 | 3.25% |
| 1999 | $5,911.19 | 3.14% |
| 2000 | $6,125.73 | 3.63% |
| 2001 | $6,398.56 | 4.45% |
| 2002 | $6,650.01 | 3.93% |
| 2003 | $6,844.85 | 2.93% |
| 2004 | $7,028.31 | 2.68% |
| 2005 | $7,238.69 | 2.99% |
| 2006 | $7,496.81 | 3.57% |
| 2007 | $7,816.12 | 4.26% |
| 2008 | $8,102.29 | 3.66% |
| 2009 | $8,286.81 | 2.28% |
| 2010 | $8,305.93 | 0.23% |
| 2011 | $8,447.57 | 1.71% |
| 2012 | $8,671.67 | 2.65% |
| 2013 | $8,916.72 | 2.83% |
| 2014 | $9,197.73 | 3.15% |
| 2015 | $9,526.46 | 3.57% |
| 2016 | $9,885.78 | 3.77% |
| 2017 | $10,262.87 | 3.81% |
| 2018 | $10,634.10 | 3.62% |
| 2019 | $11,028.27 | 3.71% |
| 2020 | $11,372.78 | 3.12% |
| 2021 | $11,628.13 | 2.25% |
| 2022 | $12,329.69 | 6.03% |
| 2023 | $13,310.33 | 7.95% |
| 2024 | $13,990.33 | 5.11% |
| 2025 | $14,476.80 | 3.48% |
| 2026 | $14,630.31 | 1.06%* |
* 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 Rent of primary residence:
| 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 | 2026 |
| CPI | 21.000 | 21.017 | 21.217 | 21.367 | 21.083 | 22.692 | 26.358 | 31.108 | 32.350 | 33.142 | 34.350 | 34.592 | 34.308 | 33.792 | 33.033 | 32.242 | 31.458 | 30.025 | 27.325 | 23.458 | 21.527 | 21.369 | 21.833 | 22.800 | 23.642 | 23.700 | 23.733 | 24.150 | 24.692 | 24.692 | 24.750 | 24.808 | 24.958 | 25.792 | 27.500 | 28.692 | 29.758 | 30.925 | 32.217 | 33.908 | 35.117 | 35.608 | 36.258 | 36.958 | 37.642 | 38.175 | 38.742 | 39.233 | 39.717 | 40.117 | 40.533 | 40.933 | 41.492 | 42.242 | 43.250 | 44.650 | 46.500 | 48.650 | 50.325 | 52.525 | 55.150 | 58.000 | 61.142 | 64.817 | 69.275 | 74.342 | 80.917 | 87.942 | 94.625 | 100.092 | 105.292 | 111.758 | 118.275 | 123.150 | 127.842 | 132.808 | 138.408 | 143.317 | 146.908 | 150.342 | 154.008 | 157.775 | 161.950 | 166.667 | 172.075 | 177.483 | 183.925 | 192.117 | 199.667 | 205.517 | 211.025 | 217.342 | 225.092 | 234.679 | 243.271 | 248.812 | 249.385 | 253.638 | 260.367 | 267.725 | 276.162 | 286.032 | 296.820 | 308.143 | 319.289 | 331.124 | 341.468 | 349.135 | 370.199 | 399.643 | 420.060 | 434.666 | 439.275 |