According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for rent of primary residence are 1,431.02% higher in 2026 versus 1949 (a $14,310.19 difference in value).
Between 1949 and 2026:Rent experienced an average inflation rate of 3.61% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, rent costing $1,000 in the year 1949 would cost $15,310.19 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.45% during this same period, inflation for rent was higher.
In the year 1949: Pricing changed by 4.33%, which is above the average yearly change for rent during the 1949-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1949 (-0.97%), inflation for rent was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Rent, over time, for $1,000 beginning in 1949. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | $1,000.00 | 4.33% |
| 1950 | $1,037.18 | 3.72% |
| 1951 | $1,077.84 | 3.92% |
| 1952 | $1,122.86 | 4.18% |
| 1953 | $1,181.82 | 5.25% |
| 1954 | $1,223.93 | 3.56% |
| 1955 | $1,241.07 | 1.40% |
| 1956 | $1,263.72 | 1.83% |
| 1957 | $1,288.12 | 1.93% |
| 1958 | $1,311.94 | 1.85% |
| 1959 | $1,330.53 | 1.42% |
| 1960 | $1,350.28 | 1.48% |
| 1961 | $1,367.41 | 1.27% |
| 1962 | $1,384.26 | 1.23% |
| 1963 | $1,398.20 | 1.01% |
| 1964 | $1,412.72 | 1.04% |
| 1965 | $1,426.66 | 0.99% |
| 1966 | $1,446.12 | 1.36% |
| 1967 | $1,472.26 | 1.81% |
| 1968 | $1,507.41 | 2.39% |
| 1969 | $1,556.20 | 3.24% |
| 1970 | $1,620.68 | 4.14% |
| 1971 | $1,695.61 | 4.62% |
| 1972 | $1,753.99 | 3.44% |
| 1973 | $1,830.67 | 4.37% |
| 1974 | $1,922.16 | 5.00% |
| 1975 | $2,021.49 | 5.17% |
| 1976 | $2,130.99 | 5.42% |
| 1977 | $2,259.08 | 6.01% |
| 1978 | $2,414.46 | 6.88% |
| 1979 | $2,591.05 | 7.31% |
| 1980 | $2,820.21 | 8.84% |
| 1981 | $3,065.06 | 8.68% |
| 1982 | $3,298.00 | 7.60% |
| 1983 | $3,488.53 | 5.78% |
| 1984 | $3,669.76 | 5.20% |
| 1985 | $3,895.15 | 6.14% |
| 1986 | $4,122.28 | 5.83% |
| 1987 | $4,292.19 | 4.12% |
| 1988 | $4,455.71 | 3.81% |
| 1989 | $4,628.81 | 3.89% |
| 1990 | $4,823.99 | 4.22% |
| 1991 | $4,995.06 | 3.55% |
| 1992 | $5,120.24 | 2.51% |
| 1993 | $5,239.91 | 2.34% |
| 1994 | $5,367.70 | 2.44% |
| 1995 | $5,498.98 | 2.45% |
| 1996 | $5,644.50 | 2.65% |
| 1997 | $5,808.89 | 2.91% |
| 1998 | $5,997.39 | 3.25% |
| 1999 | $6,185.88 | 3.14% |
| 2000 | $6,410.40 | 3.63% |
| 2001 | $6,695.90 | 4.45% |
| 2002 | $6,959.05 | 3.93% |
| 2003 | $7,162.94 | 2.93% |
| 2004 | $7,354.92 | 2.68% |
| 2005 | $7,575.08 | 2.99% |
| 2006 | $7,845.19 | 3.57% |
| 2007 | $8,179.34 | 4.26% |
| 2008 | $8,478.81 | 3.66% |
| 2009 | $8,671.91 | 2.28% |
| 2010 | $8,691.91 | 0.23% |
| 2011 | $8,840.13 | 1.71% |
| 2012 | $9,074.65 | 2.65% |
| 2013 | $9,331.09 | 2.83% |
| 2014 | $9,625.16 | 3.15% |
| 2015 | $9,969.16 | 3.57% |
| 2016 | $10,345.18 | 3.77% |
| 2017 | $10,739.79 | 3.81% |
| 2018 | $11,128.27 | 3.62% |
| 2019 | $11,540.76 | 3.71% |
| 2020 | $11,901.29 | 3.12% |
| 2021 | $12,168.50 | 2.25% |
| 2022 | $12,902.67 | 6.03% |
| 2023 | $13,928.87 | 7.95% |
| 2024 | $14,640.47 | 5.11% |
| 2025 | $15,149.55 | 3.48% |
| 2026 | $15,310.19 | 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 |