According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 589.81% higher in 2025 versus 1971 (a $3,243,972.23 difference in value).
Between 1971 and 2025: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.64% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $550,000 in the year 1971 would cost $3,793,972.23 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.91% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1971: Pricing changed by 5.25%, which is above the average yearly change for transportation during the 1971-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1971 (4.30%), inflation for transportation was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $550,000 beginning in 1971. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | $550,000.00 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $556,432.75 | 1.17% |
| 1973 | $574,015.59 | 3.16% |
| 1974 | $638,343.08 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $698,274.85 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $767,748.54 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $821,890.84 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $860,380.12 | 4.68% |
| 1979 | $983,031.19 | 14.26% |
| 1980 | $1,158,109.16 | 17.81% |
| 1981 | $1,298,343.08 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $1,351,842.11 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $1,384,113.06 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $1,445,545.81 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $1,483,713.45 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $1,426,033.14 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $1,469,132.55 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $1,514,483.43 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $1,590,282.65 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $1,679,697.86 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $1,725,906.43 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $1,763,645.22 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $1,816,929.82 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $1,871,822.61 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $1,938,830.41 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $1,993,508.77 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $2,010,877.19 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $1,972,923.98 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $2,012,592.59 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $2,137,066.28 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $2,149,931.77 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $2,130,526.32 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $2,196,033.14 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $2,273,226.12 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $2,423,859.65 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $2,520,779.73 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $2,574,022.51 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $2,725,492.30 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $2,498,351.95 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $2,695,479.24 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $2,959,877.00 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $3,029,166.28 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $3,030,200.88 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $3,009,679.34 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $2,774,515.20 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $2,716,353.51 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $2,809,337.82 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $2,936,148.73 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $2,927,851.56 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $2,806,120.37 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $3,214,810.04 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $3,712,004.68 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $3,721,043.76 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $3,772,708.38 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $3,793,972.23 | 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 |