U.S. inflation · 1915–1988
$100 in 1915 has the same buying power as
$1,171
in 1988
| Cumulative price change | 1071.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.43% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,171 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $1,071 |
| CPI in 1915 | 10.1 |
| CPI in 1988 | 118.3 |
| Inflation in 1915 | 1.00% |
| Inflation in 1988 | 4.14% |
| $100 in 1915 → 1988 | $1,171 |
| $100 in 1988 → 1915 | $8.54 |
Between 1915 and 1988, the Consumer Price Index went from 10.1 to 118.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 1071.3%, which works out to an average of 3.43% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1915 bought what $0.09 buys in 1988.
| Amount in 1915 | Value in 1988 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $11.71 |
| $5.00 | $58.56 |
| $10.00 | $117 |
| $20.00 | $234 |
| $50.00 | $586 |
| $100 | $1,171 |
| $500 | $5,856 |
| $1,000 | $11,713 |
| $5,000 | $58,564 |
| $10,000 | $117,129 |
| $100,000 | $1,171,287 |
| $1,000,000 | $11,712,871 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1915 spending costs in 1988, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1915 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.43% | $1,171 |
| Food | 3.44% | $1,182 |
| Apparel | 2.81% | $754 |
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 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $816 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $1,065 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $1,171 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1915 to 1988: $100 is worth $1,171 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1915-to-1988/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1915 to 1988. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1915-to-1988/
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.