According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,804.11% higher in 2025 versus 1935 (a $9,020.56 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 $500 in the year 1935 would cost $9,520.56 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 $500 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 | $500.00 | - |
| 1936 | $502.35 | 0.47% |
| 1937 | $512.68 | 2.06% |
| 1938 | $514.79 | 0.41% |
| 1939 | $503.52 | -2.19% |
| 1940 | $500.70 | -0.56% |
| 1941 | $519.72 | 3.80% |
| 1942 | $564.08 | 8.54% |
| 1943 | $560.56 | -0.62% |
| 1944 | $559.86 | -0.13% |
| 1945 | $559.86 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $593.66 | 6.04% |
| 1947 | $649.78 | 9.45% |
| 1948 | $724.54 | 11.50% |
| 1949 | $778.71 | 7.48% |
| 1950 | $798.75 | 2.57% |
| 1951 | $849.95 | 6.41% |
| 1952 | $906.01 | 6.60% |
| 1953 | $932.02 | 2.87% |
| 1954 | $918.47 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $907.37 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $923.62 | 1.79% |
| 1957 | $975.08 | 5.57% |
| 1958 | $1,007.31 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $1,049.02 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $1,048.75 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $1,060.67 | 1.14% |
| 1962 | $1,082.88 | 2.09% |
| 1963 | $1,088.84 | 0.55% |
| 1964 | $1,105.09 | 1.49% |
| 1965 | $1,123.24 | 1.64% |
| 1966 | $1,139.22 | 1.42% |
| 1967 | $1,171.72 | 2.85% |
| 1968 | $1,209.10 | 3.19% |
| 1969 | $1,255.69 | 3.85% |
| 1970 | $1,320.15 | 5.13% |
| 1971 | $1,389.49 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $1,405.74 | 1.17% |
| 1973 | $1,450.16 | 3.16% |
| 1974 | $1,612.68 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $1,764.08 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $1,939.60 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $2,076.38 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $2,173.62 | 4.68% |
| 1979 | $2,483.48 | 14.26% |
| 1980 | $2,925.79 | 17.81% |
| 1981 | $3,280.07 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $3,415.22 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $3,496.75 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $3,651.95 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $3,748.37 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $3,602.65 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $3,711.54 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $3,826.11 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $4,017.61 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $4,243.50 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $4,360.24 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $4,455.58 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $4,590.20 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $4,728.87 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $4,898.16 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $5,036.29 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $5,080.17 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $4,984.29 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $5,084.51 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $5,398.97 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $5,431.47 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $5,382.45 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $5,547.94 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $5,742.96 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $6,123.51 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $6,368.36 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $6,502.87 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $6,885.54 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $6,311.70 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $6,809.72 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $7,477.68 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $7,652.72 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $7,655.34 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $7,603.49 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $7,009.39 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $6,862.45 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $7,097.36 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $7,417.73 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $7,396.77 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $7,089.23 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $8,121.73 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $9,377.81 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $9,400.65 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $9,531.17 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $9,520.56 | -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 |