According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,130.87% higher in 2025 versus 1949 (a $441,037.96 difference in value).
Between 1949 and 2025: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.36% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $39,000 in the year 1949 would cost $480,037.96 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.48% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1949: Pricing changed by 7.48%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for transportation during the 1949-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1949 (-0.99%), inflation for transportation was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $39,000 beginning in 1949. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | $39,000.00 | 7.48% |
| 1950 | $40,003.83 | 2.57% |
| 1951 | $42,567.65 | 6.41% |
| 1952 | $45,375.65 | 6.60% |
| 1953 | $46,677.91 | 2.87% |
| 1954 | $45,999.65 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $45,443.48 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $46,257.39 | 1.79% |
| 1957 | $48,834.78 | 5.57% |
| 1958 | $50,449.04 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $52,538.09 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $52,524.52 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $53,121.39 | 1.14% |
| 1962 | $54,233.74 | 2.09% |
| 1963 | $54,532.17 | 0.55% |
| 1964 | $55,346.09 | 1.49% |
| 1965 | $56,254.96 | 1.64% |
| 1966 | $57,055.30 | 1.42% |
| 1967 | $58,683.13 | 2.85% |
| 1968 | $60,555.13 | 3.19% |
| 1969 | $62,888.35 | 3.85% |
| 1970 | $66,116.87 | 5.13% |
| 1971 | $69,589.57 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $70,403.48 | 1.17% |
| 1973 | $72,628.17 | 3.16% |
| 1974 | $80,767.30 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $88,350.26 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $97,140.52 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $103,990.96 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $108,860.87 | 4.68% |
| 1979 | $124,379.48 | 14.26% |
| 1980 | $146,531.48 | 17.81% |
| 1981 | $164,274.78 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $171,043.83 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $175,126.96 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $182,899.83 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $187,729.04 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $180,430.96 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $185,884.17 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $191,622.26 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $201,212.87 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $212,526.26 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $218,372.87 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $223,147.83 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $229,889.74 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $236,835.13 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $245,313.39 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $252,231.65 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $254,429.22 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $249,627.13 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $254,646.26 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $270,395.48 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $272,023.30 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $269,568.00 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $277,856.35 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $287,623.30 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $306,682.43 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $318,945.39 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $325,682.01 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $344,846.95 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $316,107.68 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $341,049.51 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $374,502.82 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $383,269.75 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $383,400.66 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $380,804.14 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $351,049.65 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $343,690.65 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $355,455.63 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $371,500.57 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $370,450.76 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $355,048.54 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $406,758.61 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $469,666.89 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $470,810.58 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $477,347.52 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $480,037.96 | 0.56%* |
* 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 |
| 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 | 270.685 | 272.211 |