Consumer Price Index (all urban consumers, all items) under Harry S. Truman

The consumer price level — an index of what a fixed basket of household purchases costs. Inflation is how fast it changes, not the number itself.

Over 1945-04-12 to 1953-01-19, measured in Index 1982-1984=100:

Term average

24.49 Index 1982-1984=100

At the start

— Index 1982-1984=100

At the end

— Index 1982-1984=100

Change

— Index 1982-1984=100

Low

21.48 Index 1982-1984=100 (1947-01-01)

High

26.71 Index 1982-1984=100 (1952-12-01)

Coverage

80% (73 observations)

Reading this series over a presidential term

An index level is meaningless on its own — 320 is not “bad”. Score this one as a change from start to end of term in annualized percent, which is the inflation rate over the term. An average level over a term measures nothing but the passage of time.

The basket is a national average that matches no particular household; rent and owners’ equivalent rent are measured with a lag; and the Federal Reserve targets a different index (PCE), which usually runs a little lower. Old months are not revised, but the seasonal factors are.

These are the observed values over the window above, and nothing more. This site does not say which direction is better, and none of this is a claim that Harry S. Truman caused the number to move.

What Consumer Price Index (all urban consumers, all items) measures · Harry S. Truman: the whole record · Chart it · Compare with another president · The source at FRED