According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for rent of primary residence are 1,911.95% higher in 2026 versus 1936 (a $19,119.47 difference in value).
Between 1936 and 2026:Rent experienced an average inflation rate of 3.39% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, rent costing $1,000 in the year 1936 would cost $20,119.47 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.56% during this same period, inflation for rent was lower.
In the year 1936: Pricing changed by 2.17%, which is below the average yearly change for rent during the 1936-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1936 (1.03%), inflation for rent was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Rent, over time, for $1,000 beginning in 1936. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1936 | $1,000.00 | 2.17% |
| 1937 | $1,044.27 | 4.43% |
| 1938 | $1,082.82 | 3.69% |
| 1939 | $1,085.50 | 0.25% |
| 1940 | $1,087.02 | 0.14% |
| 1941 | $1,106.11 | 1.76% |
| 1942 | $1,130.92 | 2.24% |
| 1943 | $1,130.92 | 0.00% ** |
| 1944 | $1,133.59 | 0.24% |
| 1945 | $1,136.26 | 0.24% |
| 1946 | $1,143.13 | 0.60% |
| 1947 | $1,181.30 | 3.34% |
| 1948 | $1,259.54 | 6.62% |
| 1949 | $1,314.12 | 4.33% |
| 1950 | $1,362.98 | 3.72% |
| 1951 | $1,416.41 | 3.92% |
| 1952 | $1,475.57 | 4.18% |
| 1953 | $1,553.05 | 5.25% |
| 1954 | $1,608.40 | 3.56% |
| 1955 | $1,630.92 | 1.40% |
| 1956 | $1,660.69 | 1.83% |
| 1957 | $1,692.75 | 1.93% |
| 1958 | $1,724.05 | 1.85% |
| 1959 | $1,748.47 | 1.42% |
| 1960 | $1,774.43 | 1.48% |
| 1961 | $1,796.95 | 1.27% |
| 1962 | $1,819.08 | 1.23% |
| 1963 | $1,837.40 | 1.01% |
| 1964 | $1,856.49 | 1.04% |
| 1965 | $1,874.81 | 0.99% |
| 1966 | $1,900.38 | 1.36% |
| 1967 | $1,934.73 | 1.81% |
| 1968 | $1,980.92 | 2.39% |
| 1969 | $2,045.04 | 3.24% |
| 1970 | $2,129.77 | 4.14% |
| 1971 | $2,228.24 | 4.62% |
| 1972 | $2,304.96 | 3.44% |
| 1973 | $2,405.73 | 4.37% |
| 1974 | $2,525.95 | 5.00% |
| 1975 | $2,656.49 | 5.17% |
| 1976 | $2,800.38 | 5.42% |
| 1977 | $2,968.70 | 6.01% |
| 1978 | $3,172.90 | 6.88% |
| 1979 | $3,404.96 | 7.31% |
| 1980 | $3,706.11 | 8.84% |
| 1981 | $4,027.86 | 8.68% |
| 1982 | $4,333.97 | 7.60% |
| 1983 | $4,584.35 | 5.78% |
| 1984 | $4,822.52 | 5.20% |
| 1985 | $5,118.70 | 6.14% |
| 1986 | $5,417.18 | 5.83% |
| 1987 | $5,640.46 | 4.12% |
| 1988 | $5,855.34 | 3.81% |
| 1989 | $6,082.82 | 3.89% |
| 1990 | $6,339.31 | 4.22% |
| 1991 | $6,564.12 | 3.55% |
| 1992 | $6,728.63 | 2.51% |
| 1993 | $6,885.88 | 2.34% |
| 1994 | $7,053.82 | 2.44% |
| 1995 | $7,226.34 | 2.45% |
| 1996 | $7,417.56 | 2.65% |
| 1997 | $7,633.59 | 2.91% |
| 1998 | $7,881.30 | 3.25% |
| 1999 | $8,129.01 | 3.14% |
| 2000 | $8,424.05 | 3.63% |
| 2001 | $8,799.24 | 4.45% |
| 2002 | $9,145.04 | 3.93% |
| 2003 | $9,412.98 | 2.93% |
| 2004 | $9,665.27 | 2.68% |
| 2005 | $9,954.58 | 2.99% |
| 2006 | $10,309.54 | 3.57% |
| 2007 | $10,748.65 | 4.26% |
| 2008 | $11,142.19 | 3.66% |
| 2009 | $11,395.95 | 2.28% |
| 2010 | $11,422.23 | 0.23% |
| 2011 | $11,617.02 | 1.71% |
| 2012 | $11,925.20 | 2.65% |
| 2013 | $12,262.19 | 2.83% |
| 2014 | $12,648.64 | 3.15% |
| 2015 | $13,100.70 | 3.57% |
| 2016 | $13,594.83 | 3.77% |
| 2017 | $14,113.40 | 3.81% |
| 2018 | $14,623.91 | 3.62% |
| 2019 | $15,165.97 | 3.71% |
| 2020 | $15,639.74 | 3.12% |
| 2021 | $15,990.90 | 2.25% |
| 2022 | $16,955.68 | 6.03% |
| 2023 | $18,304.24 | 7.95% |
| 2024 | $19,239.37 | 5.11% |
| 2025 | $19,908.36 | 3.48% |
| 2026 | $20,119.47 | 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 |