According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,769.58% higher in 2025 versus 1937 (a $743,223.68 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 $42,000 in the year 1937 would cost $785,223.68 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 $42,000 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 | $42,000.00 | 2.06% |
| 1938 | $42,173.08 | 0.41% |
| 1939 | $41,250.00 | -2.19% |
| 1940 | $41,019.23 | -0.56% |
| 1941 | $42,576.92 | 3.80% |
| 1942 | $46,211.54 | 8.54% |
| 1943 | $45,923.08 | -0.62% |
| 1944 | $45,865.38 | -0.13% |
| 1945 | $45,865.38 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $48,634.62 | 6.04% |
| 1947 | $53,232.25 | 9.45% |
| 1948 | $59,356.51 | 11.50% |
| 1949 | $63,794.38 | 7.48% |
| 1950 | $65,436.39 | 2.57% |
| 1951 | $69,630.18 | 6.41% |
| 1952 | $74,223.37 | 6.60% |
| 1953 | $76,353.55 | 2.87% |
| 1954 | $75,244.08 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $74,334.32 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $75,665.68 | 1.79% |
| 1957 | $79,881.66 | 5.57% |
| 1958 | $82,522.19 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $85,939.35 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $85,917.16 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $86,893.49 | 1.14% |
| 1962 | $88,713.02 | 2.09% |
| 1963 | $89,201.18 | 0.55% |
| 1964 | $90,532.54 | 1.49% |
| 1965 | $92,019.23 | 1.64% |
| 1966 | $93,328.40 | 1.42% |
| 1967 | $95,991.12 | 2.85% |
| 1968 | $99,053.25 | 3.19% |
| 1969 | $102,869.82 | 3.85% |
| 1970 | $108,150.89 | 5.13% |
| 1971 | $113,831.36 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $115,162.72 | 1.17% |
| 1973 | $118,801.78 | 3.16% |
| 1974 | $132,115.38 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $144,519.23 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $158,897.93 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $170,103.55 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $178,069.53 | 4.68% |
| 1979 | $203,454.14 | 14.26% |
| 1980 | $239,689.35 | 17.81% |
| 1981 | $268,713.02 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $279,785.50 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $286,464.50 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $299,178.99 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $307,078.40 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $295,140.53 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $304,060.65 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $313,446.75 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $329,134.62 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $347,640.53 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $357,204.14 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $365,014.79 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $376,042.90 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $387,403.85 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $401,272.19 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $412,588.76 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $416,183.43 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $408,328.40 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $416,538.46 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $442,300.30 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $444,963.02 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $440,946.75 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $454,504.44 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $470,480.77 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $501,656.80 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $521,715.98 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $532,735.43 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $564,084.54 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $517,074.19 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $557,872.86 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $612,594.23 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $626,934.76 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $627,148.89 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $622,901.63 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $574,230.62 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $562,193.12 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $581,437.72 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $607,683.28 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $605,966.05 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $580,771.82 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $665,356.73 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $768,259.17 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $770,129.96 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $780,822.78 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $785,223.68 | 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 |