U.S. inflation · 1915–1939
$100 in 1915 has the same buying power as
$138
in 1939
| Cumulative price change | 37.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.34% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $138 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $37.62 |
| CPI in 1915 | 10.1 |
| CPI in 1939 | 13.9 |
| Inflation in 1915 | 1.00% |
| Inflation in 1939 | -1.42% |
| $100 in 1915 → 1939 | $138 |
| $100 in 1939 → 1915 | $72.66 |
Between 1915 and 1939, the Consumer Price Index went from 10.1 to 13.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 37.6%, which works out to an average of 1.34% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1915 bought what $0.73 buys in 1939.
| Amount in 1915 | Value in 1939 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.38 |
| $5.00 | $6.88 |
| $10.00 | $13.76 |
| $20.00 | $27.52 |
| $50.00 | $68.81 |
| $100 | $138 |
| $500 | $688 |
| $1,000 | $1,376 |
| $5,000 | $6,881 |
| $10,000 | $13,762 |
| $100,000 | $137,624 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,376,238 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1915 spending costs in 1939, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1915 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.34% | $138 |
| Apparel | 1.45% | $141 |
| Food | 0.69% | $118 |
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 |
| 1922 | 16.8 | -6.1% | $166 |
| 1923 | 17.1 | 1.8% | $169 |
| 1924 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $169 |
| 1925 | 17.5 | 2.3% | $173 |
| 1926 | 17.7 | 1.1% | $175 |
| 1927 | 17.4 | -1.7% | $172 |
| 1928 | 17.1 | -1.7% | $169 |
| 1929 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $169 |
| 1930 | 16.7 | -2.3% | $165 |
| 1931 | 15.2 | -9.0% | $150 |
| 1932 | 13.7 | -9.9% | $136 |
| 1933 | 13 | -5.1% | $129 |
| 1934 | 13.4 | 3.1% | $133 |
| 1935 | 13.7 | 2.2% | $136 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $138 |
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $143 |
| 1938 | 14.1 | -2.1% | $140 |
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $138 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1915 to 1939: $100 is worth $138 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1915-to-1939/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1915 to 1939. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1915-to-1939/
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.