According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 390.85% higher in 2025 versus 1976 (a $1,954,260.58 difference in value).
Between 1976 and 2025: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.30% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $500,000 in the year 1976 would cost $2,454,260.58 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.57% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1976: Pricing changed by 9.95%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for transportation during the 1976-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1976 (5.75%), inflation for transportation was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $500,000 beginning in 1976. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | $500,000.00 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $535,260.44 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $560,326.77 | 4.68% |
| 1979 | $640,203.88 | 14.26% |
| 1980 | $754,224.27 | 17.81% |
| 1981 | $845,552.30 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $880,393.80 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $901,410.42 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $941,418.80 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $966,275.66 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $928,711.07 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $956,779.78 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $986,314.76 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $1,035,679.37 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $1,093,911.46 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $1,124,005.03 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $1,148,582.60 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $1,183,284.46 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $1,219,033.65 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $1,262,672.81 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $1,298,282.36 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $1,309,593.63 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $1,284,876.41 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $1,310,710.79 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $1,391,774.89 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $1,400,153.61 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $1,387,515.71 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $1,430,177.35 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $1,480,449.66 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $1,578,550.48 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $1,641,670.16 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $1,676,344.78 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $1,774,990.22 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $1,627,063.96 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $1,755,444.07 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $1,927,634.41 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $1,972,759.39 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $1,973,433.18 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $1,960,068.43 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $1,806,916.63 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $1,769,038.54 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $1,829,595.03 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $1,912,181.26 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $1,906,777.68 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $1,827,499.65 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $2,093,660.80 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $2,417,461.25 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $2,423,348.00 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $2,456,994.83 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $2,454,260.58 | -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 |