U.S. inflation · 1915–1978
$100 in 1915 has the same buying power as
$646
in 1978
| Cumulative price change | 545.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.00% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $646 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $546 |
| CPI in 1915 | 10.1 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| Inflation in 1915 | 1.00% |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| $100 in 1915 → 1978 | $646 |
| $100 in 1978 → 1915 | $15.49 |
Between 1915 and 1978, the Consumer Price Index went from 10.1 to 65.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 545.5%, which works out to an average of 3.00% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1915 bought what $0.15 buys in 1978.
| Amount in 1915 | Value in 1978 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $6.46 |
| $5.00 | $32.28 |
| $10.00 | $64.55 |
| $20.00 | $129 |
| $50.00 | $323 |
| $100 | $646 |
| $500 | $3,228 |
| $1,000 | $6,455 |
| $5,000 | $32,277 |
| $10,000 | $64,554 |
| $100,000 | $645,545 |
| $1,000,000 | $6,455,446 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1915 spending costs in 1978, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1915 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.00% | $646 |
| Food | 3.18% | $720 |
| Apparel | 2.69% | $532 |
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 |
| 1920 | 20 | 15.6% | $198 |
| 1925 | 17.5 | 2.3% | $173 |
| 1930 | 16.7 | -2.3% | $165 |
| 1935 | 13.7 | 2.2% | $136 |
| 1940 | 14 | 0.7% | $139 |
| 1945 | 18 | 2.3% | $178 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $239 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $265 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $293 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $312 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $384 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $533 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $646 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1915 to 1978: $100 is worth $646 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1915-to-1978/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1915 to 1978. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1915-to-1978/
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.