According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,804.11% higher in 2025 versus 1935 (a $360,822.54 difference in value).
Between 1935 and 2025: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.33% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $20,000 in the year 1935 would cost $380,822.54 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.55% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $20,000 beginning in 1935. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1935 | $20,000.00 | - |
| 1936 | $20,093.90 | 0.47% |
| 1937 | $20,507.04 | 2.06% |
| 1938 | $20,591.55 | 0.41% |
| 1939 | $20,140.85 | -2.19% |
| 1940 | $20,028.17 | -0.56% |
| 1941 | $20,788.73 | 3.80% |
| 1942 | $22,563.38 | 8.54% |
| 1943 | $22,422.54 | -0.62% |
| 1944 | $22,394.37 | -0.13% |
| 1945 | $22,394.37 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $23,746.48 | 6.04% |
| 1947 | $25,991.33 | 9.45% |
| 1948 | $28,981.58 | 11.50% |
| 1949 | $31,148.43 | 7.48% |
| 1950 | $31,950.16 | 2.57% |
| 1951 | $33,997.83 | 6.41% |
| 1952 | $36,240.52 | 6.60% |
| 1953 | $37,280.61 | 2.87% |
| 1954 | $36,738.89 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $36,294.69 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $36,944.75 | 1.79% |
| 1957 | $39,003.25 | 5.57% |
| 1958 | $40,292.52 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $41,961.00 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $41,950.16 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $42,426.87 | 1.14% |
| 1962 | $43,315.28 | 2.09% |
| 1963 | $43,553.63 | 0.55% |
| 1964 | $44,203.68 | 1.49% |
| 1965 | $44,929.58 | 1.64% |
| 1966 | $45,568.80 | 1.42% |
| 1967 | $46,868.91 | 2.85% |
| 1968 | $48,364.03 | 3.19% |
| 1969 | $50,227.52 | 3.85% |
| 1970 | $52,806.07 | 5.13% |
| 1971 | $55,579.63 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $56,229.69 | 1.17% |
| 1973 | $58,006.50 | 3.16% |
| 1974 | $64,507.04 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $70,563.38 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $77,583.97 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $83,055.25 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $86,944.75 | 4.68% |
| 1979 | $99,339.11 | 14.26% |
| 1980 | $117,031.42 | 17.81% |
| 1981 | $131,202.60 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $136,608.88 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $139,869.99 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $146,078.01 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $149,934.99 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $144,106.18 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $148,461.54 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $153,044.42 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $160,704.23 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $169,739.98 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $174,409.53 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $178,223.19 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $183,607.80 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $189,154.93 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $195,926.33 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $201,451.79 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $203,206.93 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $199,371.61 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $203,380.28 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $215,958.83 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $217,258.94 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $215,297.94 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $221,917.66 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $229,718.31 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $244,940.41 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $254,734.56 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $260,114.95 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $275,421.56 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $252,468.15 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $272,388.62 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $299,107.04 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $306,108.99 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $306,213.54 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $304,139.76 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $280,375.51 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $274,498.05 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $283,894.47 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $296,709.21 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $295,870.75 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $283,569.34 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $324,869.01 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $375,112.46 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $376,025.89 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $381,246.80 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $380,822.54 | -0.11%* |
* 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 | 270.384 |