According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,804.11% higher in 2025 versus 1935 (a $225,514.08 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 $12,500 in the year 1935 would cost $238,014.08 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 $12,500 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 | $12,500.00 | - |
| 1936 | $12,558.69 | 0.47% |
| 1937 | $12,816.90 | 2.06% |
| 1938 | $12,869.72 | 0.41% |
| 1939 | $12,588.03 | -2.19% |
| 1940 | $12,517.61 | -0.56% |
| 1941 | $12,992.96 | 3.80% |
| 1942 | $14,102.11 | 8.54% |
| 1943 | $14,014.08 | -0.62% |
| 1944 | $13,996.48 | -0.13% |
| 1945 | $13,996.48 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $14,841.55 | 6.04% |
| 1947 | $16,244.58 | 9.45% |
| 1948 | $18,113.49 | 11.50% |
| 1949 | $19,467.77 | 7.48% |
| 1950 | $19,968.85 | 2.57% |
| 1951 | $21,248.65 | 6.41% |
| 1952 | $22,650.33 | 6.60% |
| 1953 | $23,300.38 | 2.87% |
| 1954 | $22,961.81 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $22,684.18 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $23,090.47 | 1.79% |
| 1957 | $24,377.03 | 5.57% |
| 1958 | $25,182.83 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $26,225.62 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $26,218.85 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $26,516.79 | 1.14% |
| 1962 | $27,072.05 | 2.09% |
| 1963 | $27,221.02 | 0.55% |
| 1964 | $27,627.30 | 1.49% |
| 1965 | $28,080.99 | 1.64% |
| 1966 | $28,480.50 | 1.42% |
| 1967 | $29,293.07 | 2.85% |
| 1968 | $30,227.52 | 3.19% |
| 1969 | $31,392.20 | 3.85% |
| 1970 | $33,003.79 | 5.13% |
| 1971 | $34,737.27 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $35,143.55 | 1.17% |
| 1973 | $36,254.06 | 3.16% |
| 1974 | $40,316.90 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $44,102.11 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $48,489.98 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $51,909.53 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $54,340.47 | 4.68% |
| 1979 | $62,086.94 | 14.26% |
| 1980 | $73,144.64 | 17.81% |
| 1981 | $82,001.63 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $85,380.55 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $87,418.74 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $91,298.75 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $93,709.37 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $90,066.36 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $92,788.46 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $95,652.76 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $100,440.14 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $106,087.49 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $109,005.96 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $111,389.49 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $114,754.88 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $118,221.83 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $122,453.95 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $125,907.37 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $127,004.33 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $124,607.26 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $127,112.68 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $134,974.27 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $135,786.84 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $134,561.21 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $138,698.54 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $143,573.94 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $153,087.76 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $159,209.10 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $162,571.84 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $172,138.48 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $157,792.59 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $170,242.89 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $186,941.90 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $191,318.12 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $191,383.46 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $190,087.35 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $175,234.70 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $171,561.28 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $177,434.05 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $185,443.26 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $184,919.22 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $177,230.84 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $203,043.13 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $234,445.29 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $235,016.18 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $238,279.25 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $238,014.08 | -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 |