According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,762.75% higher in 2024 versus 1937 (a $352.55 difference in value).
Between 1937 and 2024: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.42% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $20 in the year 1937 would cost $372.55 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.60% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1937: Pricing changed by 2.06%, which is below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1937-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1937 (3.72%), inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $20 beginning in 1937. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1937 | $20.00 | 2.06% |
| 1938 | $20.08 | 0.41% |
| 1939 | $19.64 | -2.19% |
| 1940 | $19.53 | -0.56% |
| 1941 | $20.27 | 3.80% |
| 1942 | $22.01 | 8.54% |
| 1943 | $21.87 | -0.62% |
| 1944 | $21.84 | -0.13% |
| 1945 | $21.84 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $23.16 | 6.04% |
| 1947 | $25.35 | 9.45% |
| 1948 | $28.27 | 11.50% |
| 1949 | $30.38 | 7.48% |
| 1950 | $31.16 | 2.57% |
| 1951 | $33.16 | 6.41% |
| 1952 | $35.34 | 6.60% |
| 1953 | $36.36 | 2.87% |
| 1954 | $35.83 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $35.40 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $36.03 | 1.79% |
| 1957 | $38.04 | 5.57% |
| 1958 | $39.30 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $40.92 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $40.91 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $41.38 | 1.14% |
| 1962 | $42.24 | 2.09% |
| 1963 | $42.48 | 0.55% |
| 1964 | $43.11 | 1.49% |
| 1965 | $43.82 | 1.64% |
| 1966 | $44.44 | 1.42% |
| 1967 | $45.71 | 2.85% |
| 1968 | $47.17 | 3.19% |
| 1969 | $48.99 | 3.85% |
| 1970 | $51.50 | 5.13% |
| 1971 | $54.21 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $54.84 | 1.17% |
| 1973 | $56.57 | 3.16% |
| 1974 | $62.91 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $68.82 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $75.67 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $81.00 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $84.80 | 4.68% |
| 1979 | $96.88 | 14.26% |
| 1980 | $114.14 | 17.81% |
| 1981 | $127.96 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $133.23 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $136.41 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $142.47 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $146.23 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $140.54 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $144.79 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $149.26 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $156.73 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $165.54 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $170.10 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $173.82 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $179.07 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $184.48 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $191.08 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $196.47 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $198.18 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $194.44 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $198.35 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $210.62 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $211.89 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $209.97 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $216.43 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $224.04 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $238.88 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $248.44 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $253.68 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $268.61 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $246.23 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $265.65 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $291.71 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $298.54 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $298.64 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $296.62 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $273.44 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $267.71 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $276.88 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $289.37 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $288.56 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $276.56 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $316.84 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $365.84 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $366.73 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $372.55 | 1.59%* |
* 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 |
| CPI | 14.200 | 14.267 | 14.560 | 14.620 | 14.300 | 14.220 | 14.760 | 16.020 | 15.920 | 15.900 | 15.900 | 16.860 | 18.454 | 20.577 | 22.115 | 22.685 | 24.138 | 25.731 | 26.469 | 26.085 | 25.769 | 26.231 | 27.692 | 28.608 | 29.792 | 29.785 | 30.123 | 30.754 | 30.923 | 31.385 | 31.900 | 32.354 | 33.277 | 34.338 | 35.662 | 37.492 | 39.462 | 39.923 | 41.185 | 45.800 | 50.100 | 55.085 | 58.969 | 61.731 | 70.531 | 83.092 | 93.154 | 96.992 | 99.308 | 103.715 | 106.454 | 102.315 | 105.408 | 108.662 | 114.100 | 120.515 | 123.831 | 126.538 | 130.362 | 134.300 | 139.108 | 143.031 | 144.277 | 141.554 | 144.400 | 153.331 | 154.254 | 152.862 | 157.562 | 163.100 | 173.908 | 180.862 | 184.682 | 195.549 | 179.252 | 193.396 | 212.366 | 217.337 | 217.412 | 215.939 | 199.067 | 194.894 | 201.565 | 210.664 | 210.068 | 201.334 | 230.657 | 266.330 | 266.978 | 271.217 |