According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,757.68% higher in 2026 versus 1938 (a $474,574.45 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 2026: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.38% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $27,000 in the year 1938 would cost $501,574.45 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.63% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by 1.15%, which is below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1938-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation for transportation was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $27,000 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 | $27,000.00 | 1.15% |
| 1939 | $26,340.72 | -2.44% |
| 1940 | $26,172.06 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $26,846.68 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $29,299.83 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $29,330.49 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $29,253.83 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $29,253.83 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $30,480.41 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $33,945.49 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $37,855.20 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $40,691.65 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $41,734.24 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $44,417.38 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $47,345.83 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $48,695.06 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $47,989.78 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $47,407.16 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $48,265.76 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $50,948.89 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $52,635.43 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $54,812.61 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $54,797.27 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $55,425.89 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $56,575.81 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $56,897.79 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $57,741.06 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $58,691.65 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $59,534.92 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $61,221.47 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $63,183.99 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $65,606.47 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $68,979.56 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $72,597.96 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $73,456.56 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $75,771.72 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $84,265.76 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $92,177.17 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $101,345.83 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $108,490.63 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $113,580.92 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $129,771.72 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $152,877.34 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $171,383.30 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $178,451.45 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $182,713.80 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $190,824.53 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $195,868.82 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $188,248.72 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $193,936.97 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $199,916.52 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $209,928.45 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $221,734.24 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $227,836.46 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $232,819.42 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $239,841.57 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $247,093.70 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $255,940.37 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $263,161.84 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $265,446.34 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $260,432.71 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $265,676.32 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $282,112.44 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $283,798.98 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $281,238.50 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $289,885.86 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $300,081.77 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $319,967.63 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $332,754.68 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $339,788.94 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $359,784.12 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $329,800.02 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $355,822.13 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $390,724.50 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $399,871.23 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $400,007.68 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $397,298.79 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $366,255.38 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $358,577.63 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $370,852.28 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $387,592.13 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $386,496.95 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $370,427.58 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $424,377.44 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $490,010.60 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $491,203.90 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $498,023.97 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $501,597.70 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $501,574.45 | 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 |