According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,755.11% higher in 2024 versus 1938 (a $351.02 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 2024: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.45% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $20 in the year 1938 would cost $371.02 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.67% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by 0.41%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1938-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation for transportation was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $20 beginning in 1938. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | $20.00 | 0.41% |
| 1939 | $19.56 | -2.19% |
| 1940 | $19.45 | -0.56% |
| 1941 | $20.19 | 3.80% |
| 1942 | $21.92 | 8.54% |
| 1943 | $21.78 | -0.62% |
| 1944 | $21.75 | -0.13% |
| 1945 | $21.75 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $23.06 | 6.04% |
| 1947 | $25.24 | 9.45% |
| 1948 | $28.15 | 11.50% |
| 1949 | $30.25 | 7.48% |
| 1950 | $31.03 | 2.57% |
| 1951 | $33.02 | 6.41% |
| 1952 | $35.20 | 6.60% |
| 1953 | $36.21 | 2.87% |
| 1954 | $35.68 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $35.25 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $35.88 | 1.79% |
| 1957 | $37.88 | 5.57% |
| 1958 | $39.14 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $40.76 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $40.75 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $41.21 | 1.14% |
| 1962 | $42.07 | 2.09% |
| 1963 | $42.30 | 0.55% |
| 1964 | $42.93 | 1.49% |
| 1965 | $43.64 | 1.64% |
| 1966 | $44.26 | 1.42% |
| 1967 | $45.52 | 2.85% |
| 1968 | $46.97 | 3.19% |
| 1969 | $48.78 | 3.85% |
| 1970 | $51.29 | 5.13% |
| 1971 | $53.98 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $54.61 | 1.17% |
| 1973 | $56.34 | 3.16% |
| 1974 | $62.65 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $68.54 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $75.36 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $80.67 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $84.45 | 4.68% |
| 1979 | $96.49 | 14.26% |
| 1980 | $113.67 | 17.81% |
| 1981 | $127.43 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $132.68 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $135.85 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $141.88 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $145.63 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $139.97 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $144.20 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $148.65 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $156.09 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $164.86 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $169.40 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $173.10 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $178.33 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $183.72 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $190.30 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $195.66 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $197.37 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $193.64 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $197.54 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $209.75 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $211.02 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $209.11 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $215.54 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $223.12 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $237.90 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $247.42 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $252.64 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $267.51 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $245.22 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $264.56 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $290.51 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $297.32 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $297.42 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $295.40 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $272.32 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $266.61 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $275.74 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $288.19 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $287.37 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $275.42 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $315.54 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $364.34 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $365.22 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $371.02 | 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 |