Televisions inflation, 1950–2026
Prices are 99.40% lower than in 1950, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Prices are 99.40% lower than in 1950, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for televisions are 99.40% lower in 2026 versus 1950 (a $993.96 difference in value).
Between 1950 and 2026, Televisions experienced an average inflation rate of -6.50% per year. This rate of change indicates significant deflation. In other words, televisions costing $1,000 in the year 1950 would cost $6.04 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.51% during this same period, inflation for televisions was significantly lower.
The official rate is based on an average household's spending, so your own inflation rate is probably different. The personal inflation calculator works it out from your budget.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Televisions, over time, for $1,000 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 | $1,000.00 | - |
| 1951 | $985.93 | -1.41% |
| 1952 | $868.38 | -11.92% |
| 1953 | $833.28 | -4.04% |
| 1954 | $781.09 | -6.26% |
| 1955 | $732.55 | -6.21% |
| 1956 | $732.19 | -0.05% |
| 1957 | $763.23 | 4.24% |
| 1958 | $780.47 | 2.26% |
| 1959 | $789.53 | 1.16% |
| 1960 | $796.09 | 0.83% |
| 1961 | $777.08 | -2.39% |
| 1962 | $739.27 | -4.87% |
| 1963 | $719.27 | -2.71% |
| 1964 | $706.04 | -1.84% |
| 1965 | $686.77 | -2.73% |
| 1966 | $639.95 | -6.82% |
| 1967 | $626.77 | -2.06% |
| 1968 | $624.58 | -0.35% |
| 1969 | $623.59 | -0.16% |
| 1970 | $624.32 | 0.12% |
| 1971 | $626.82 | 0.40% |
| 1972 | $623.12 | -0.59% |
| 1973 | $613.90 | -1.48% |
| 1974 | $619.58 | 0.92% |
| 1975 | $636.30 | 2.70% |
| 1976 | $644.42 | 1.28% |
| 1977 | $636.82 | -1.18% |
| 1978 | $636.35 | -0.07% |
| 1979 | $645.10 | 1.37% |
| 1980 | $653.90 | 1.36% |
| 1981 | $659.22 | 0.81% |
| 1982 | $650.78 | -1.28% |
| 1983 | $628.33 | -3.45% |
| 1984 | $596.46 | -5.07% |
| 1985 | $554.06 | -7.11% |
| 1986 | $520.04 | -6.14% |
| 1987 | $498.18 | -4.20% |
| 1988 | $485.11 | -2.62% |
| 1989 | $475.36 | -2.01% |
| 1990 | $466.49 | -1.87% |
| 1991 | $455.57 | -2.34% |
| 1992 | $452.48 | -0.68% |
| 1993 | $441.64 | -2.40% |
| 1994 | $437.03 | -1.04% |
| 1995 | $425.44 | -2.65% |
| 1996 | $403.12 | -5.25% |
| 1997 | $385.58 | -4.35% |
| 1998 | $370.13 | -4.01% |
| 1999 | $343.32 | -7.24% |
| 2000 | $312.00 | -9.12% |
| 2001 | $279.84 | -10.31% |
| 2002 | $250.70 | -10.41% |
| 2003 | $217.90 | -13.08% |
| 2004 | $187.62 | -13.90% |
| 2005 | $166.01 | -11.52% |
| 2006 | $139.50 | -15.96% |
| 2007 | $105.86 | -24.11% |
| 2008 | $87.40 | -17.44% |
| 2009 | $66.28 | -24.17% |
| 2010 | $49.91 | -24.71% |
| 2011 | $41.48 | -16.89% |
| 2012 | $33.93 | -18.20% |
| 2013 | $28.63 | -15.62% |
| 2014 | $24.60 | -14.08% |
| 2015 | $21.11 | -14.17% |
| 2016 | $17.05 | -19.24% |
| 2017 | $14.73 | -13.59% |
| 2018 | $12.29 | -16.61% |
| 2019 | $9.94 | -19.12% |
| 2020 | $8.55 | -14.00% |
| 2021 | $9.03 | 5.70% |
| 2022 | $8.06 | -10.78% |
| 2023 | $7.15 | -11.34% |
| 2024 | $6.71 | -6.12% |
| 2025 | $6.17 | -8.03% |
| 2026 | $6.04 | -2.08%* |
* 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 Televisions:
| Year | 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 | 15573.500 | 15354.458 | 13523.750 | 12977.058 | 12164.333 | 11408.367 | 11402.708 | 11886.108 | 12154.592 | 12295.742 | 12397.933 | 12101.867 | 11513.017 | 11201.558 | 10995.483 | 10695.350 | 9966.192 | 9760.992 | 9726.917 | 9711.483 | 9722.858 | 9761.792 | 9704.200 | 9560.642 | 9649.050 | 9909.417 | 10035.942 | 9917.533 | 9910.233 | 10046.492 | 10183.558 | 10266.292 | 10134.892 | 9785.308 | 9288.908 | 8628.675 | 8098.817 | 7758.433 | 7554.808 | 7403.025 | 7264.817 | 7094.842 | 7046.725 | 6877.825 | 6806.125 | 6625.625 | 6278.000 | 6004.875 | 5764.175 | 5346.633 | 4858.925 | 4358.042 | 3904.267 | 3393.483 | 2921.833 | 2585.308 | 2172.575 | 1648.678 | 1361.177 | 1032.222 | 777.210 | 645.949 | 528.379 | 445.861 | 383.078 | 328.797 | 265.535 | 229.437 | 191.324 | 154.740 | 133.083 | 140.675 | 125.504 | 111.277 | 104.465 | 96.080 | 94.085 |