According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,779.02% higher in 2026 versus 1937 (a $1,245,316.48 difference in value).
Between 1937 and 2026: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.35% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $70,000 in the year 1937 would cost $1,315,316.48 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.56% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1937: Pricing changed by 1.81%, which is below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1937-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1937 (3.73%), inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $70,000 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 | $70,000.00 | 1.81% |
| 1938 | $70,804.14 | 1.15% |
| 1939 | $69,075.24 | -2.44% |
| 1940 | $68,632.97 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $70,402.07 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $76,835.15 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $76,915.57 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $76,714.53 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $76,714.53 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $79,931.07 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $89,017.81 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $99,270.53 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $106,708.79 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $109,442.85 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $116,479.04 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $124,158.53 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $127,696.73 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $125,847.21 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $124,319.36 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $126,570.94 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $133,607.12 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $138,029.87 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $143,739.23 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $143,699.02 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $145,347.50 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $148,363.01 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $149,207.35 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $151,418.72 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $153,911.55 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $156,122.92 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $160,545.66 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $165,692.13 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $172,044.80 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $180,890.29 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $190,379.09 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $192,630.67 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $198,701.90 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $220,976.45 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $241,723.15 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $265,766.80 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $284,503.16 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $297,851.81 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $340,310.17 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $400,901.78 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $449,431.36 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $467,966.69 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $479,144.17 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $500,413.56 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $513,641.59 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $493,658.82 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $508,575.53 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $524,256.17 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $550,511.20 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $581,470.42 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $597,472.72 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $610,539.92 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $628,954.62 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $647,972.43 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $671,171.74 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $690,109.13 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $696,099.94 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $682,952.33 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $696,703.04 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $739,804.71 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $744,227.46 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $737,512.92 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $760,189.55 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $786,927.05 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $839,075.24 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $872,607.70 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $891,054.16 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $943,489.03 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $864,859.45 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $933,099.20 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $1,024,626.31 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $1,048,612.46 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $1,048,970.30 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $1,041,866.57 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $960,459.10 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $940,325.16 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $972,513.90 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $1,016,412.06 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $1,013,540.09 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $971,400.17 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $1,112,876.97 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $1,284,991.73 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $1,288,121.02 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $1,306,005.80 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $1,315,377.45 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $1,315,316.48 | 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 |