U.S. inflation · 1915–1959
$100 in 1915 has the same buying power as
$288
in 1959
| Cumulative price change | 188.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.43% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $288 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $188 |
| CPI in 1915 | 10.1 |
| CPI in 1959 | 29.1 |
| Inflation in 1915 | 1.00% |
| Inflation in 1959 | 0.69% |
| $100 in 1915 → 1959 | $288 |
| $100 in 1959 → 1915 | $34.71 |
Between 1915 and 1959, the Consumer Price Index went from 10.1 to 29.1. Cumulatively, prices increased 188.1%, which works out to an average of 2.43% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1915 bought what $0.35 buys in 1959.
| Amount in 1915 | Value in 1959 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.88 |
| $5.00 | $14.41 |
| $10.00 | $28.81 |
| $20.00 | $57.62 |
| $50.00 | $144 |
| $100 | $288 |
| $500 | $1,441 |
| $1,000 | $2,881 |
| $5,000 | $14,406 |
| $10,000 | $28,812 |
| $100,000 | $288,119 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,881,188 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1915 spending costs in 1959, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1915 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.43% | $288 |
| Food | 2.50% | $297 |
| Apparel | 2.48% | $294 |
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 |
| 1917 | 12.8 | 17.4% | $127 |
| 1919 | 17.3 | 14.6% | $171 |
| 1921 | 17.9 | -10.5% | $177 |
| 1923 | 17.1 | 1.8% | $169 |
| 1925 | 17.5 | 2.3% | $173 |
| 1927 | 17.4 | -1.7% | $172 |
| 1929 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $169 |
| 1931 | 15.2 | -9.0% | $150 |
| 1933 | 13 | -5.1% | $129 |
| 1935 | 13.7 | 2.2% | $136 |
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $143 |
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $138 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $146 |
| 1943 | 17.3 | 6.1% | $171 |
| 1945 | 18 | 2.3% | $178 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $221 |
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $236 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $257 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $264 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $265 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $278 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $288 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1915 to 1959: $100 is worth $288 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1915-to-1959/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1915 to 1959. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1915-to-1959/
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.