According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,611.87% higher in 2026 versus 1942 (a $8,059,340.66 difference in value).
Between 1942 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 $500,000 in the year 1942 would cost $8,559,340.66 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.62% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1942: Pricing changed by 9.14%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for transportation during the 1942-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1942 (10.92%), inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $500,000 beginning in 1942. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1942 | $500,000.00 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $500,523.29 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $499,215.07 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $499,215.07 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $520,146.52 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $579,277.86 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $645,996.86 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $694,400.84 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $712,192.57 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $757,980.12 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $807,953.95 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $830,978.55 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $818,942.96 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $809,000.52 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $823,652.54 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $869,440.08 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $898,220.83 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $935,374.15 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $935,112.51 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $945,839.87 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $965,463.11 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $970,957.61 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $985,347.99 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $1,001,569.86 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $1,015,960.23 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $1,044,740.97 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $1,078,231.29 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $1,119,570.91 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $1,177,132.39 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $1,238,880.17 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $1,253,532.18 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $1,293,040.29 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $1,437,990.58 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $1,572,998.43 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $1,729,461.02 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $1,851,386.71 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $1,938,252.22 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $2,214,547.36 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $2,608,843.54 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $2,924,646.78 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $3,045,264.26 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $3,118,001.05 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $3,256,410.26 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $3,342,490.84 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $3,212,454.21 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $3,309,523.81 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $3,411,564.63 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $3,582,417.58 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $3,783,882.78 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $3,888,016.75 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $3,973,050.76 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $4,092,883.31 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $4,216,640.50 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $4,367,608.58 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $4,490,842.49 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $4,529,827.32 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $4,444,270.02 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $4,533,751.96 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $4,814,233.39 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $4,843,014.13 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $4,799,319.73 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $4,946,886.45 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $5,120,879.12 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $5,460,230.25 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $5,678,440.61 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $5,798,479.85 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $6,139,696.49 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $5,628,019.36 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $6,072,085.30 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $6,667,692.31 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $6,823,780.74 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $6,826,109.37 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $6,779,882.26 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $6,250,128.21 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $6,119,107.80 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $6,328,574.05 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $6,614,238.62 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $6,595,549.45 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $6,321,326.53 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $7,241,978.02 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $8,362,004.19 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $8,382,367.87 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $8,498,751.96 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $8,559,737.41 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $8,559,340.66 | 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 |