U.S. inflation · 1914–1918
$100 in 1914 has the same buying power as
$151
in 1918
| Cumulative price change | 51.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 10.85% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $151 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $51.00 |
| CPI in 1914 | 10 |
| CPI in 1918 | 15.1 |
| Inflation in 1914 | 1.01% |
| Inflation in 1918 | 17.97% |
| $100 in 1914 → 1918 | $151 |
| $100 in 1918 → 1914 | $66.23 |
Between 1914 and 1918, the Consumer Price Index went from 10 to 15.1. Cumulatively, prices increased 51.0%, which works out to an average of 10.85% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1914 bought what $0.66 buys in 1918.
| Amount in 1914 | Value in 1918 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.51 |
| $5.00 | $7.55 |
| $10.00 | $15.10 |
| $20.00 | $30.20 |
| $50.00 | $75.50 |
| $100 | $151 |
| $500 | $755 |
| $1,000 | $1,510 |
| $5,000 | $7,550 |
| $10,000 | $15,100 |
| $100,000 | $151,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,510,000 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1914 spending costs in 1918, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1914 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 10.85% | $151 |
| Apparel | 16.15% | $182 |
| Food | 13.12% | $164 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1914: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), medical care (1935–), transportation (1935–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1914 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1914 | 10 | 1.0% | $100 |
| 1915 | 10.1 | 1.0% | $101 |
| 1916 | 10.9 | 7.9% | $109 |
| 1917 | 12.8 | 17.4% | $128 |
| 1918 | 15.1 | 18.0% | $151 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1914 to 1918: $100 is worth $151 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1914-to-1918/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1914 to 1918. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1914-to-1918/
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U annual averages (series CUUR0000SA0; category indexes listed on the data sources page). See how these numbers are calculated.