U.S. inflation · 1915–1921
$100 in 1915 has the same buying power as
$177
in 1921
| Cumulative price change | 77.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 10.01% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $177 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $77.23 |
| CPI in 1915 | 10.1 |
| CPI in 1921 | 17.9 |
| Inflation in 1915 | 1.00% |
| Inflation in 1921 | -10.50% |
| $100 in 1915 → 1921 | $177 |
| $100 in 1921 → 1915 | $56.42 |
Between 1915 and 1921, the Consumer Price Index went from 10.1 to 17.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 77.2%, which works out to an average of 10.01% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1915 bought what $0.56 buys in 1921.
| Amount in 1915 | Value in 1921 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.77 |
| $5.00 | $8.86 |
| $10.00 | $17.72 |
| $20.00 | $35.45 |
| $50.00 | $88.61 |
| $100 | $177 |
| $500 | $886 |
| $1,000 | $1,772 |
| $5,000 | $8,861 |
| $10,000 | $17,723 |
| $100,000 | $177,228 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,772,277 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1915 spending costs in 1921, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1915 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 10.01% | $177 |
| Apparel | 13.78% | $217 |
| Food | 8.04% | $159 |
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 |
| 1918 | 15.1 | 18.0% | $150 |
| 1919 | 17.3 | 14.6% | $171 |
| 1920 | 20 | 15.6% | $198 |
| 1921 | 17.9 | -10.5% | $177 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1915 to 1921: $100 is worth $177 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1915-to-1921/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1915 to 1921. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1915-to-1921/
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.