Transportation priced at $20 in 1935 $382 in 2024

Transportation Inflation Calculator

$

Prices for Transportation, 1935-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,809.98% higher in 2024 versus 1935 (a $362 difference in value).

Between 1935 and 2024: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.37% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $20 in the year 1935 would cost $382 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.58% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.

Price Inflation for Transportation since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (17.81%), 2022 (15.47%), and 2021 (14.56%).

View price changes for other categories
Admission to sporting events · Gasoline (all types) · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · New cars · More

Buying power of $20.00 since 1935

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $20 beginning in 1935. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1935$20.00-
1936$20.090.47%
1937$20.512.06%
1938$20.590.41%
1939$20.14-2.19%
1940$20.03-0.56%
1941$20.793.80%
1942$22.568.54%
1943$22.42-0.62%
1944$22.39-0.13%
1945$22.390.00% **
1946$23.756.04%
1947$25.999.45%
1948$28.9811.50%
1949$31.157.48%
1950$31.952.57%
1951$34.006.41%
1952$36.246.60%
1953$37.282.87%
1954$36.74-1.45%
1955$36.29-1.21%
1956$36.941.79%
1957$39.005.57%
1958$40.293.31%
1959$41.964.14%
1960$41.95-0.03%
1961$42.431.14%
1962$43.322.09%
1963$43.550.55%
1964$44.201.49%
1965$44.931.64%
1966$45.571.42%
1967$46.872.85%
1968$48.363.19%
1969$50.233.85%
1970$52.815.13%
1971$55.585.25%
1972$56.231.17%
1973$58.013.16%
1974$64.5111.21%
1975$70.569.39%
1976$77.589.95%
1977$83.067.05%
1978$86.944.68%
1979$99.3414.26%
1980$117.0317.81%
1981$131.2012.11%
1982$136.614.12%
1983$139.872.39%
1984$146.084.44%
1985$149.932.64%
1986$144.11-3.89%
1987$148.463.02%
1988$153.043.09%
1989$160.705.00%
1990$169.745.62%
1991$174.412.75%
1992$178.222.19%
1993$183.613.02%
1994$189.153.02%
1995$195.933.58%
1996$201.452.82%
1997$203.210.87%
1998$199.37-1.89%
1999$203.382.01%
2000$215.966.18%
2001$217.260.60%
2002$215.30-0.90%
2003$221.923.07%
2004$229.723.52%
2005$244.946.63%
2006$254.734.00%
2007$260.112.11%
2008$275.425.88%
2009$252.47-8.33%
2010$272.397.89%
2011$299.119.81%
2012$306.112.34%
2013$306.210.03%
2014$304.14-0.68%
2015$280.38-7.81%
2016$274.50-2.10%
2017$283.893.42%
2018$296.714.51%
2019$295.87-0.28%
2020$283.57-4.16%
2021$324.8714.56%
2022$375.1115.47%
2023$376.030.24%
2024$382.001.59%*

* 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:

Year193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI14.20014.26714.56014.62014.30014.22014.76016.02015.92015.90015.90016.86018.45420.57722.11522.68524.13825.73126.46926.08525.76926.23127.69228.60829.79229.78530.12330.75430.92331.38531.90032.35433.27734.33835.66237.49239.46239.92341.18545.80050.10055.08558.96961.73170.53183.09293.15496.99299.308103.715106.454102.315105.408108.662114.100120.515123.831126.538130.362134.300139.108143.031144.277141.554144.400153.331154.254152.862157.562163.100173.908180.862184.682195.549179.252193.396212.366217.337217.412215.939199.067194.894201.565210.664210.068201.334230.657266.330266.978271.217

Adjust transportation prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1935 * 1935 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Transportation was 14.200 in the year 1935 and 271.217 in 2024:

271.217 / 14.200 * $20 = $382

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1935 has the same "purchasing power" as $382 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Transportation).


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

» Read more about inflation and investment.