According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,769.58% higher in 2025 versus 1937 (a $44,239.50 difference in value).
Between 1937 and 2025: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.38% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $2,500 in the year 1937 would cost $46,739.50 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.59% 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 1937-2025 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 $2,500 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 | $2,500.00 | 2.06% |
| 1938 | $2,510.30 | 0.41% |
| 1939 | $2,455.36 | -2.19% |
| 1940 | $2,441.62 | -0.56% |
| 1941 | $2,534.34 | 3.80% |
| 1942 | $2,750.69 | 8.54% |
| 1943 | $2,733.52 | -0.62% |
| 1944 | $2,730.08 | -0.13% |
| 1945 | $2,730.08 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $2,894.92 | 6.04% |
| 1947 | $3,168.59 | 9.45% |
| 1948 | $3,533.13 | 11.50% |
| 1949 | $3,797.28 | 7.48% |
| 1950 | $3,895.02 | 2.57% |
| 1951 | $4,144.65 | 6.41% |
| 1952 | $4,418.06 | 6.60% |
| 1953 | $4,544.85 | 2.87% |
| 1954 | $4,478.81 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $4,424.66 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $4,503.91 | 1.79% |
| 1957 | $4,754.86 | 5.57% |
| 1958 | $4,912.04 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $5,115.44 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $5,114.12 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $5,172.23 | 1.14% |
| 1962 | $5,280.54 | 2.09% |
| 1963 | $5,309.59 | 0.55% |
| 1964 | $5,388.84 | 1.49% |
| 1965 | $5,477.34 | 1.64% |
| 1966 | $5,555.26 | 1.42% |
| 1967 | $5,713.76 | 2.85% |
| 1968 | $5,896.03 | 3.19% |
| 1969 | $6,123.20 | 3.85% |
| 1970 | $6,437.55 | 5.13% |
| 1971 | $6,775.68 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $6,854.92 | 1.17% |
| 1973 | $7,071.53 | 3.16% |
| 1974 | $7,864.01 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $8,602.34 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $9,458.21 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $10,125.21 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $10,599.38 | 4.68% |
| 1979 | $12,110.37 | 14.26% |
| 1980 | $14,267.22 | 17.81% |
| 1981 | $15,994.82 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $16,653.90 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $17,051.46 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $17,808.27 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $18,278.48 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $17,567.89 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $18,098.85 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $18,657.54 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $19,591.35 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $20,692.89 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $21,262.15 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $21,727.07 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $22,383.51 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $23,059.75 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $23,885.25 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $24,558.85 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $24,772.82 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $24,305.26 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $24,793.96 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $26,327.40 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $26,485.89 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $26,246.83 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $27,053.84 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $28,004.81 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $29,860.52 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $31,054.52 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $31,710.44 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $33,576.46 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $30,778.23 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $33,206.72 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $36,463.94 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $37,317.55 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $37,330.29 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $37,077.48 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $34,180.39 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $33,463.88 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $34,609.39 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $36,171.62 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $36,069.41 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $34,569.75 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $39,604.57 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $45,729.71 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $45,841.07 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $46,477.55 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $46,739.50 | 0.56%* |
* 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 |
| 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 | 270.685 | 272.211 |