U.S. inflation · 1915–1917
$100 in 1915 has the same buying power as
$127
in 1917
| Cumulative price change | 26.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 12.58% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $127 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $26.73 |
| CPI in 1915 | 10.1 |
| CPI in 1917 | 12.8 |
| Inflation in 1915 | 1.00% |
| Inflation in 1917 | 17.43% |
| $100 in 1915 → 1917 | $127 |
| $100 in 1917 → 1915 | $78.91 |
Between 1915 and 1917, the Consumer Price Index went from 10.1 to 12.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 26.7%, which works out to an average of 12.58% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1915 bought what $0.79 buys in 1917.
| Amount in 1915 | Value in 1917 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.27 |
| $5.00 | $6.34 |
| $10.00 | $12.67 |
| $20.00 | $25.35 |
| $50.00 | $63.37 |
| $100 | $127 |
| $500 | $634 |
| $1,000 | $1,267 |
| $5,000 | $6,337 |
| $10,000 | $12,673 |
| $100,000 | $126,733 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,267,327 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1915 spending costs in 1917, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1915 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 12.58% | $127 |
| Food | 20.42% | $145 |
| Apparel | 14.90% | $132 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1915: 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 1915 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1915 | 10.1 | 1.0% | $100 |
| 1916 | 10.9 | 7.9% | $108 |
| 1917 | 12.8 | 17.4% | $127 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1915 to 1917: $100 is worth $127 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1915-to-1917/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1915 to 1917. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1915-to-1917/
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.