U.S. inflation · 1915–1979
$100 in 1915 has the same buying power as
$719
in 1979
| Cumulative price change | 618.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.13% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $719 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $619 |
| CPI in 1915 | 10.1 |
| CPI in 1979 | 72.6 |
| Inflation in 1915 | 1.00% |
| Inflation in 1979 | 11.35% |
| $100 in 1915 → 1979 | $719 |
| $100 in 1979 → 1915 | $13.91 |
Between 1915 and 1979, the Consumer Price Index went from 10.1 to 72.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 618.8%, which works out to an average of 3.13% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1915 bought what $0.14 buys in 1979.
| Amount in 1915 | Value in 1979 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $7.19 |
| $5.00 | $35.94 |
| $10.00 | $71.88 |
| $20.00 | $144 |
| $50.00 | $359 |
| $100 | $719 |
| $500 | $3,594 |
| $1,000 | $7,188 |
| $5,000 | $35,941 |
| $10,000 | $71,881 |
| $100,000 | $718,812 |
| $1,000,000 | $7,188,119 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1915 spending costs in 1979, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1915 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.13% | $719 |
| Food | 3.30% | $799 |
| Apparel | 2.71% | $555 |
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 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $719 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1915 to 1979: $100 is worth $719 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1915-to-1979/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1915 to 1979. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1915-to-1979/
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.