Cars priced at $39,500 in 2010 $49,463.99 in 2025

Cars Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Cars, 2010-2025 ($39,500)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for new cars are 25.23% higher in 2025 versus 2010 (a $9,963.99 difference in value).

Between 2010 and 2025: Cars experienced an average inflation rate of 1.51% per year. In other words, cars costing $39,500 in the year 2010 would cost $49,463.99 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.57% during this same period, inflation for cars was lower.

In the year 2010: Pricing changed by 1.03%, which is below the average yearly change for cars during the 2010-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 2010 (1.64%), inflation for cars was lower.

Price Inflation for New cars since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025-10103050
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1947 (49.78%), 2022 (11.07%), and 1948 (8.97%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $39,500.00 since 2010

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Cars, over time, for $39,500 beginning in 2010. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
2010$39,500.001.03%
2011$40,681.812.99%
2012$41,240.111.37%
2013$41,453.360.52%
2014$41,323.39-0.31%
2015$41,302.38-0.05%
2016$41,100.64-0.49%
2017$40,805.69-0.72%
2018$40,608.00-0.48%
2019$40,846.040.59%
2020$41,176.420.81%
2021$43,465.395.56%
2022$48,278.1911.07%
2023$49,947.063.46%
2024$49,356.35-1.18%
2025$49,463.990.22%*

* 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 New cars:

Year1935193619371938193919401941194219431944194519461947194819491950195119521953195419551956195719581959196019611962196319641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
CPI20.30020.40020.80021.80021.30021.30023.00023.00023.00023.00023.00023.00034.45037.54040.90041.12043.32046.90047.19246.45444.82346.06248.46950.03152.19251.50851.50051.30850.98550.87749.72348.80849.26250.65451.46953.03155.20854.73154.76257.93162.90066.88570.42375.80881.82388.36993.75497.36299.877102.754106.046110.615114.577116.854119.238120.969125.323128.362131.492135.985139.015141.431141.677140.700139.554139.554138.923137.285134.685133.938135.223136.423135.865135.401136.685138.094142.226144.178144.923144.469144.396143.690142.659141.968142.800143.955151.958168.783174.618172.553172.929

Adjust cars prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2025 / CPI in 2010 * 2010 USD value = 2025 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for New cars was 138.094 in the year 2010 and 172.929 in 2025:

172.929 / 138.094 * $39,500 = $49,463.99

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $39,500 in 2010 has the same "purchasing power" as $49,463.99 in 2025 (in the CPI category of New cars).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for New cars in 1935. In addition to cars, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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