According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,794.86% higher in 2024 versus 1939 (a $358.97 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2024: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.52% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $20 in the year 1939 would cost $378.97 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.73% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1939: Pricing changed by -2.19%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1939-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1939 (-1.31%), inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $20 beginning in 1939. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1939 | $20.00 | -2.19% |
| 1940 | $19.89 | -0.56% |
| 1941 | $20.64 | 3.80% |
| 1942 | $22.41 | 8.54% |
| 1943 | $22.27 | -0.62% |
| 1944 | $22.24 | -0.13% |
| 1945 | $22.24 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $23.58 | 6.04% |
| 1947 | $25.81 | 9.45% |
| 1948 | $28.78 | 11.50% |
| 1949 | $30.93 | 7.48% |
| 1950 | $31.73 | 2.57% |
| 1951 | $33.76 | 6.41% |
| 1952 | $35.99 | 6.60% |
| 1953 | $37.02 | 2.87% |
| 1954 | $36.48 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $36.04 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $36.69 | 1.79% |
| 1957 | $38.73 | 5.57% |
| 1958 | $40.01 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $41.67 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $41.66 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $42.13 | 1.14% |
| 1962 | $43.01 | 2.09% |
| 1963 | $43.25 | 0.55% |
| 1964 | $43.89 | 1.49% |
| 1965 | $44.62 | 1.64% |
| 1966 | $45.25 | 1.42% |
| 1967 | $46.54 | 2.85% |
| 1968 | $48.03 | 3.19% |
| 1969 | $49.88 | 3.85% |
| 1970 | $52.44 | 5.13% |
| 1971 | $55.19 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $55.84 | 1.17% |
| 1973 | $57.60 | 3.16% |
| 1974 | $64.06 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $70.07 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $77.04 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $82.47 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $86.34 | 4.68% |
| 1979 | $98.64 | 14.26% |
| 1980 | $116.21 | 17.81% |
| 1981 | $130.29 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $135.65 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $138.89 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $145.06 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $148.89 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $143.10 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $147.42 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $151.97 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $159.58 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $168.55 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $173.19 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $176.98 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $182.32 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $187.83 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $194.56 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $200.04 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $201.79 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $197.98 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $201.96 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $214.45 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $215.74 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $213.79 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $220.37 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $228.11 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $243.23 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $252.95 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $258.30 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $273.50 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $250.70 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $270.48 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $297.02 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $303.97 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $304.07 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $302.01 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $278.41 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $272.58 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $281.91 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $294.63 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $293.80 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $281.59 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $322.60 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $372.49 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $373.40 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $378.97 | 1.49%* |
* 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 | 270.965 |