According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,804.18% higher in 2026 versus 1939 (a $703,629.92 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.44% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $39,000 in the year 1939 would cost $742,629.92 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.69% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1939: Pricing changed by -2.44%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1939-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1939 (-1.30%), inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $39,000 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 | $39,000.00 | -2.44% |
| 1940 | $38,750.29 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $39,749.13 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $43,381.26 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $43,426.66 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $43,313.15 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $43,313.15 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $45,129.22 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $50,259.60 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $56,048.31 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $60,247.96 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $61,791.62 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $65,764.26 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $70,100.12 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $72,097.79 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $71,053.55 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $70,190.92 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $71,462.17 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $75,434.81 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $77,931.90 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $81,155.41 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $81,132.71 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $82,063.45 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $83,766.01 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $84,242.72 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $85,491.27 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $86,898.72 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $88,147.26 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $90,644.35 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $93,550.06 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $97,136.79 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $102,130.97 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $107,488.36 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $108,759.60 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $112,187.43 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $124,763.68 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $136,477.30 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $150,052.39 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $160,630.97 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $168,167.64 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $192,139.70 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $226,349.83 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $253,749.71 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $264,214.78 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $270,525.61 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $282,534.34 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $290,002.91 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $278,720.61 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $287,142.61 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $295,995.93 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $310,819.56 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $328,299.19 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $337,334.11 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $344,711.87 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $355,108.85 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $365,846.33 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $378,944.70 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $389,636.79 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $393,019.21 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $385,596.04 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $393,359.72 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $417,694.99 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $420,192.08 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $416,401.05 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $429,204.31 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $444,300.35 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $473,743.31 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $492,675.79 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $503,090.69 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $532,695.51 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $488,301.11 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $526,829.39 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $578,505.75 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $592,048.38 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $592,250.41 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $588,239.63 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $542,276.84 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $530,909.18 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $549,083.00 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $573,867.97 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $572,246.46 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $548,454.19 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $628,332.22 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $725,508.51 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $727,275.31 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $737,373.09 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $742,664.34 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $742,629.92 | 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 |