According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,819.82% higher in 2026 versus 1935 (a $281,708.75 difference in value).
Between 1935 and 2026: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.30% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $15,480 in the year 1935 would cost $297,188.75 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.54% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $15,480 beginning in 1935. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1935 | $15,480.00 | - |
| 1936 | $15,534.51 | 0.35% |
| 1937 | $15,816.13 | 1.81% |
| 1938 | $15,997.82 | 1.15% |
| 1939 | $15,607.18 | -2.44% |
| 1940 | $15,507.25 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $15,906.97 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $17,360.49 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $17,378.66 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $17,333.24 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $17,333.24 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $18,060.00 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $20,113.10 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $22,429.65 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $24,110.28 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $24,728.03 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $26,317.82 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $28,052.96 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $28,852.39 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $28,434.51 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $28,089.30 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $28,598.03 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $30,187.82 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $31,187.11 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $32,477.11 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $32,468.03 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $32,840.49 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $33,521.83 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $33,712.61 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $34,212.25 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $34,775.49 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $35,275.14 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $36,274.44 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $37,437.25 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $38,872.61 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $40,871.20 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $43,015.14 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $43,523.87 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $44,895.63 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $49,928.45 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $54,616.06 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $60,048.59 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $64,281.97 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $67,298.03 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $76,891.27 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $90,581.62 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $101,546.62 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $105,734.58 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $108,260.07 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $113,065.77 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $116,054.58 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $111,539.58 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $114,909.93 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $118,452.89 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $124,385.07 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $131,380.14 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $134,995.77 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $137,948.24 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $142,108.94 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $146,405.92 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $151,647.68 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $155,926.48 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $157,280.07 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $154,309.44 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $157,416.34 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $167,154.93 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $168,154.23 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $166,637.11 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $171,760.77 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $177,801.97 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $189,584.58 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $197,161.06 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $201,328.94 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $213,176.32 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $195,410.38 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $210,828.79 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $231,508.85 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $236,928.40 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $237,009.25 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $235,404.20 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $217,010.61 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $212,461.46 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $219,734.33 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $229,652.89 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $229,003.98 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $219,482.69 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $251,448.62 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $290,337.03 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $291,044.08 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $295,085.05 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $297,202.52 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $297,188.75 | 0.00%* |
* 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 Transportation:
| Year | 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 | 14.200 | 14.250 | 14.508 | 14.675 | 14.317 | 14.225 | 14.592 | 15.925 | 15.942 | 15.900 | 15.900 | 16.567 | 18.450 | 20.575 | 22.117 | 22.683 | 24.142 | 25.733 | 26.467 | 26.083 | 25.767 | 26.233 | 27.692 | 28.608 | 29.792 | 29.783 | 30.125 | 30.750 | 30.925 | 31.383 | 31.900 | 32.358 | 33.275 | 34.342 | 35.658 | 37.492 | 39.458 | 39.925 | 41.183 | 45.800 | 50.100 | 55.083 | 58.967 | 61.733 | 70.533 | 83.092 | 93.150 | 96.992 | 99.308 | 103.717 | 106.458 | 102.317 | 105.408 | 108.658 | 114.100 | 120.517 | 123.833 | 126.542 | 130.358 | 134.300 | 139.108 | 143.033 | 144.275 | 141.550 | 144.400 | 153.333 | 154.250 | 152.858 | 157.558 | 163.100 | 173.908 | 180.858 | 184.682 | 195.549 | 179.252 | 193.396 | 212.366 | 217.337 | 217.412 | 215.939 | 199.067 | 194.894 | 201.565 | 210.663 | 210.068 | 201.334 | 230.657 | 266.330 | 266.978 | 270.685 | 272.628 | 272.615 |