According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Chicago, Illinois are 1,129.74% higher in 2025 versus 1950 (a $11,297,443,298.97 difference in value).
Between 1950 and 2025: Chicago experienced an average inflation rate of 3.40% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $1,000,000,000 in Chicago in the year 1950 would cost $12,297,443,298.97 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.50% during this same period, inflation in Chicago was lower.
In the year 1950: Pricing changed by 1.01%, which is below the average yearly change in Chicago during the 1950-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1950 (1.10%), inflation in Chicago was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Chicago, over time, for $1,000,000,000 beginning in 1950. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | $1,000,000,000.00 | 1.01% |
| 1951 | $1,078,694,158.08 | 7.87% |
| 1952 | $1,102,061,855.67 | 2.17% |
| 1953 | $1,111,683,848.80 | 0.87% |
| 1954 | $1,128,178,694.16 | 1.48% |
| 1955 | $1,135,738,831.62 | 0.67% |
| 1956 | $1,151,546,391.75 | 1.39% |
| 1957 | $1,189,003,436.43 | 3.25% |
| 1958 | $1,225,085,910.65 | 3.03% |
| 1959 | $1,235,051,546.39 | 0.81% |
| 1960 | $1,252,233,676.98 | 1.39% |
| 1961 | $1,258,419,243.99 | 0.49% |
| 1962 | $1,271,477,663.23 | 1.04% |
| 1963 | $1,284,192,439.86 | 1.00% |
| 1964 | $1,289,347,079.04 | 0.40% |
| 1965 | $1,306,529,209.62 | 1.33% |
| 1966 | $1,345,704,467.35 | 3.00% |
| 1967 | $1,380,756,013.75 | 2.60% |
| 1968 | $1,439,175,257.73 | 4.23% |
| 1969 | $1,517,869,415.81 | 5.47% |
| 1970 | $1,604,810,996.56 | 5.73% |
| 1971 | $1,668,041,237.11 | 3.94% |
| 1972 | $1,715,463,917.53 | 2.84% |
| 1973 | $1,823,024,054.98 | 6.27% |
| 1974 | $2,015,807,560.14 | 10.57% |
| 1975 | $2,174,914,089.35 | 7.89% |
| 1976 | $2,279,037,800.69 | 4.79% |
| 1977 | $2,422,336,769.76 | 6.29% |
| 1978 | $2,632,989,690.72 | 8.70% |
| 1979 | $2,961,512,027.49 | 12.48% |
| 1980 | $3,388,659,793.81 | 14.42% |
| 1981 | $3,713,058,419.24 | 9.57% |
| 1982 | $3,966,323,024.05 | 6.82% |
| 1983 | $4,124,398,625.43 | 3.99% |
| 1984 | $4,280,068,728.52 | 3.77% |
| 1985 | $4,441,580,756.01 | 3.77% |
| 1986 | $4,534,364,261.17 | 2.09% |
| 1987 | $4,721,305,841.92 | 4.12% |
| 1988 | $4,905,841,924.40 | 3.91% |
| 1989 | $5,153,951,890.03 | 5.06% |
| 1990 | $5,430,927,835.05 | 5.37% |
| 1991 | $5,651,202,749.14 | 4.06% |
| 1992 | $5,816,838,487.97 | 2.93% |
| 1993 | $5,996,219,931.27 | 3.08% |
| 1994 | $6,127,491,408.93 | 2.19% |
| 1995 | $6,322,336,769.76 | 3.18% |
| 1996 | $6,491,408,934.71 | 2.67% |
| 1997 | $6,669,072,164.95 | 2.74% |
| 1998 | $6,803,436,426.12 | 2.01% |
| 1999 | $6,944,329,896.91 | 2.07% |
| 2000 | $7,167,353,951.89 | 3.21% |
| 2001 | $7,353,951,890.03 | 2.60% |
| 2002 | $7,471,134,020.62 | 1.59% |
| 2003 | $7,608,591,065.29 | 1.84% |
| 2004 | $7,778,694,158.08 | 2.24% |
| 2005 | $8,014,089,347.08 | 3.03% |
| 2006 | $8,178,350,515.46 | 2.05% |
| 2007 | $8,446,085,910.65 | 3.27% |
| 2008 | $8,764,353,951.89 | 3.77% |
| 2009 | $8,659,591,065.29 | -1.20% |
| 2010 | $8,778,161,512.03 | 1.37% |
| 2011 | $9,017,903,780.07 | 2.73% |
| 2012 | $9,154,835,051.55 | 1.52% |
| 2013 | $9,259,594,501.72 | 1.14% |
| 2014 | $9,421,350,515.46 | 1.75% |
| 2015 | $9,393,498,281.79 | -0.30% |
| 2016 | $9,455,742,268.04 | 0.66% |
| 2017 | $9,633,457,044.67 | 1.88% |
| 2018 | $9,802,319,587.63 | 1.75% |
| 2019 | $9,945,594,501.72 | 1.46% |
| 2020 | $10,056,608,247.42 | 1.12% |
| 2021 | $10,480,786,941.58 | 4.22% |
| 2022 | $11,272,415,807.56 | 7.55% |
| 2023 | $11,647,402,061.86 | 3.33% |
| 2024 | $12,050,515,463.92 | 3.46% |
| 2025 | $12,297,443,298.97 | 2.05%* |
* 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 Chicago, Illinois:
| Year | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 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 | 10.000 | 10.017 | 10.317 | 11.758 | 13.733 | 16.667 | 19.850 | 18.175 | 17.167 | 17.375 | 17.717 | 18.108 | 18.425 | 18.258 | 17.692 | 17.650 | 17.458 | 15.958 | 14.083 | 12.633 | 12.717 | 13.267 | 13.533 | 14.092 | 13.992 | 13.717 | 13.792 | 14.517 | 15.958 | 16.850 | 17.108 | 17.475 | 19.033 | 22.108 | 24.033 | 24.008 | 24.250 | 26.158 | 26.725 | 26.958 | 27.358 | 27.542 | 27.925 | 28.833 | 29.708 | 29.950 | 30.367 | 30.517 | 30.833 | 31.142 | 31.267 | 31.683 | 32.633 | 33.483 | 34.900 | 36.808 | 38.917 | 40.450 | 41.600 | 44.208 | 48.883 | 52.742 | 55.267 | 58.742 | 63.850 | 71.817 | 82.175 | 90.042 | 96.183 | 100.017 | 103.792 | 107.708 | 109.958 | 114.492 | 118.967 | 124.983 | 131.700 | 137.042 | 141.058 | 145.408 | 148.592 | 153.317 | 157.417 | 161.725 | 164.983 | 168.400 | 173.808 | 178.333 | 181.175 | 184.508 | 188.633 | 194.342 | 198.325 | 204.818 | 212.536 | 209.995 | 212.870 | 218.684 | 222.005 | 224.545 | 228.468 | 227.792 | 229.302 | 233.611 | 237.706 | 241.181 | 243.873 | 254.159 | 273.356 | 282.450 | 292.225 | 298.213 |