U.S. inflation · 1914–1919
$100 in 1914 has the same buying power as
$173
in 1919
| Cumulative price change | 73.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 11.59% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $173 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $73.00 |
| CPI in 1914 | 10 |
| CPI in 1919 | 17.3 |
| Inflation in 1914 | 1.01% |
| Inflation in 1919 | 14.57% |
| $100 in 1914 → 1919 | $173 |
| $100 in 1919 → 1914 | $57.80 |
Between 1914 and 1919, the Consumer Price Index went from 10 to 17.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 73.0%, which works out to an average of 11.59% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1914 bought what $0.58 buys in 1919.
| Amount in 1914 | Value in 1919 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.73 |
| $5.00 | $8.65 |
| $10.00 | $17.30 |
| $20.00 | $34.60 |
| $50.00 | $86.50 |
| $100 | $173 |
| $500 | $865 |
| $1,000 | $1,730 |
| $5,000 | $8,650 |
| $10,000 | $17,300 |
| $100,000 | $173,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,730,000 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1914 spending costs in 1919, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1914 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 11.59% | $173 |
| Apparel | 19.27% | $241 |
| Food | 12.77% | $182 |
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 |
| 1919 | 17.3 | 14.6% | $173 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1914 to 1919: $100 is worth $173 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1914-to-1919/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1914 to 1919. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1914-to-1919/
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.