According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,091.93% higher in 2025 versus 1950 (a $245,683.52 difference in value).
Between 1950 and 2025: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.36% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $22,500 in the year 1950 would cost $268,183.52 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.50% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1950: Pricing changed by 2.57%, which is below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1950-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1950 (1.10%), inflation for transportation was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $22,500 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 | $22,500.00 | 2.57% |
| 1951 | $23,942.01 | 6.41% |
| 1952 | $25,521.36 | 6.60% |
| 1953 | $26,253.81 | 2.87% |
| 1954 | $25,872.33 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $25,559.51 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $26,017.29 | 1.79% |
| 1957 | $27,466.94 | 5.57% |
| 1958 | $28,374.87 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $29,549.85 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $29,542.22 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $29,877.92 | 1.14% |
| 1962 | $30,503.56 | 2.09% |
| 1963 | $30,671.41 | 0.55% |
| 1964 | $31,129.20 | 1.49% |
| 1965 | $31,640.39 | 1.64% |
| 1966 | $32,090.54 | 1.42% |
| 1967 | $33,006.10 | 2.85% |
| 1968 | $34,059.00 | 3.19% |
| 1969 | $35,371.31 | 3.85% |
| 1970 | $37,187.18 | 5.13% |
| 1971 | $39,140.39 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $39,598.17 | 1.17% |
| 1973 | $40,849.44 | 3.16% |
| 1974 | $45,427.26 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $49,692.27 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $54,636.32 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $58,489.32 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $61,228.38 | 4.68% |
| 1979 | $69,956.77 | 14.26% |
| 1980 | $82,416.07 | 17.81% |
| 1981 | $92,395.73 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $96,202.95 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $98,499.49 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $102,871.31 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $105,587.49 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $101,482.71 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $104,549.85 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $107,777.21 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $113,171.41 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $119,534.59 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $122,822.99 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $125,508.65 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $129,300.61 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $133,207.02 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $137,975.58 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $141,866.73 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $143,102.75 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $140,401.83 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $143,224.82 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $152,082.91 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $152,998.47 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $151,617.50 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $156,279.25 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $161,772.63 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $172,492.37 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $179,389.62 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $183,178.61 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $193,957.86 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $177,793.57 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $191,822.00 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $210,637.69 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $215,568.62 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $215,642.24 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $214,181.84 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $197,446.54 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $193,307.50 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $199,924.67 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $208,949.08 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $208,358.62 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $199,695.70 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $228,779.83 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $264,162.36 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $264,805.62 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $268,482.30 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $268,183.52 | -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 |