According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for televisions are 99.14% lower in 2025 versus 1955 (a $991.40 difference in value).
Between 1955 and 2025: Televisions experienced an average inflation rate of -6.57% per year. This rate of change indicates significant deflation. In other words, televisions costing $1,000 in the year 1955 would cost $8.60 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.60% during this same period, inflation for televisions was significantly lower.
In the year 1955: Pricing changed by -5.21%, which is above the average yearly change for televisions during the 1955-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1955 (-0.29%), inflation for televisions was much lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Televisions, over time, for $1,000 beginning in 1955. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | $1,000.00 | -5.21% |
| 1956 | $1,008.56 | 0.86% |
| 1957 | $1,052.54 | 4.36% |
| 1958 | $1,068.12 | 1.48% |
| 1959 | $1,082.83 | 1.38% |
| 1960 | $1,089.17 | 0.58% |
| 1961 | $1,056.65 | -2.99% |
| 1962 | $1,005.48 | -4.84% |
| 1963 | $982.54 | -2.28% |
| 1964 | $958.13 | -2.49% |
| 1965 | $913.06 | -4.70% |
| 1966 | $875.24 | -4.14% |
| 1967 | $858.09 | -1.96% |
| 1968 | $855.20 | -0.34% |
| 1969 | $853.82 | -0.16% |
| 1970 | $854.87 | 0.12% |
| 1971 | $858.23 | 0.39% |
| 1972 | $853.16 | -0.59% |
| 1973 | $840.52 | -1.48% |
| 1974 | $848.29 | 0.92% |
| 1975 | $871.19 | 2.70% |
| 1976 | $882.32 | 1.28% |
| 1977 | $871.92 | -1.18% |
| 1978 | $871.26 | -0.08% |
| 1979 | $883.24 | 1.38% |
| 1980 | $895.29 | 1.36% |
| 1981 | $902.59 | 0.82% |
| 1982 | $891.01 | -1.28% |
| 1983 | $860.27 | -3.45% |
| 1984 | $816.69 | -5.07% |
| 1985 | $758.63 | -7.11% |
| 1986 | $712.03 | -6.14% |
| 1987 | $682.01 | -4.22% |
| 1988 | $664.17 | -2.62% |
| 1989 | $650.88 | -2.00% |
| 1990 | $638.70 | -1.87% |
| 1991 | $623.69 | -2.35% |
| 1992 | $619.48 | -0.68% |
| 1993 | $604.73 | -2.38% |
| 1994 | $598.35 | -1.06% |
| 1995 | $582.55 | -2.64% |
| 1996 | $551.88 | -5.27% |
| 1997 | $527.98 | -4.33% |
| 1998 | $506.79 | -4.01% |
| 1999 | $469.92 | -7.27% |
| 2000 | $427.20 | -9.09% |
| 2001 | $383.30 | -10.28% |
| 2002 | $343.28 | -10.44% |
| 2003 | $298.32 | -13.10% |
| 2004 | $256.85 | -13.90% |
| 2005 | $227.29 | -11.51% |
| 2006 | $191.02 | -15.96% |
| 2007 | $144.95 | -24.12% |
| 2008 | $119.67 | -17.44% |
| 2009 | $90.75 | -24.17% |
| 2010 | $68.33 | -24.70% |
| 2011 | $56.79 | -16.89% |
| 2012 | $46.45 | -18.20% |
| 2013 | $39.20 | -15.62% |
| 2014 | $33.68 | -14.08% |
| 2015 | $28.91 | -14.17% |
| 2016 | $23.34 | -19.24% |
| 2017 | $20.17 | -13.59% |
| 2018 | $16.82 | -16.61% |
| 2019 | $13.60 | -19.12% |
| 2020 | $11.70 | -14.00% |
| 2021 | $12.37 | 5.70% |
| 2022 | $11.03 | -10.78% |
| 2023 | $9.78 | -11.34% |
| 2024 | $9.18 | -6.13% |
| 2025 | $8.60 | -6.32%* |
* 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 Televisions:
| Year | 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 |
| CPI | 160.000 | 155.800 | 137.240 | 132.420 | 123.280 | 116.860 | 117.860 | 123.000 | 124.820 | 126.540 | 127.280 | 123.480 | 117.500 | 114.820 | 111.967 | 106.700 | 102.280 | 100.277 | 99.938 | 99.777 | 99.900 | 100.292 | 99.700 | 98.223 | 99.131 | 101.808 | 103.108 | 101.892 | 101.815 | 103.215 | 104.623 | 105.477 | 104.123 | 100.531 | 95.438 | 88.654 | 83.208 | 79.700 | 77.615 | 76.062 | 74.638 | 72.885 | 72.392 | 70.669 | 69.923 | 68.077 | 64.492 | 61.700 | 59.223 | 54.915 | 49.923 | 44.792 | 40.115 | 34.862 | 30.015 | 26.562 | 22.323 | 16.938 | 13.984 | 10.605 | 7.985 | 6.636 | 5.429 | 4.581 | 3.936 | 3.378 | 2.728 | 2.357 | 1.966 | 1.590 | 1.367 | 1.445 | 1.289 | 1.143 | 1.073 | 1.005 |