U.S. inflation · 1916–1978
$100 in 1916 has the same buying power as
$598
in 1978
| Cumulative price change | 498.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.93% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $598 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $498 |
| CPI in 1916 | 10.9 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| Inflation in 1916 | 7.92% |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| $100 in 1916 → 1978 | $598 |
| $100 in 1978 → 1916 | $16.72 |
Between 1916 and 1978, the Consumer Price Index went from 10.9 to 65.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 498.2%, which works out to an average of 2.93% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1916 bought what $0.17 buys in 1978.
| Amount in 1916 | Value in 1978 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $5.98 |
| $5.00 | $29.91 |
| $10.00 | $59.82 |
| $20.00 | $120 |
| $50.00 | $299 |
| $100 | $598 |
| $500 | $2,991 |
| $1,000 | $5,982 |
| $5,000 | $29,908 |
| $10,000 | $59,817 |
| $100,000 | $598,165 |
| $1,000,000 | $5,981,651 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1916 spending costs in 1978, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1916 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.93% | $598 |
| Food | 3.03% | $637 |
| Apparel | 2.58% | $485 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1916: 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 1916 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1916 | 10.9 | 7.9% | $100 |
| 1921 | 17.9 | -10.5% | $164 |
| 1926 | 17.7 | 1.1% | $162 |
| 1931 | 15.2 | -9.0% | $139 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $128 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $135 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $179 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $239 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $250 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $274 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $297 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $372 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $522 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $598 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1916 to 1978: $100 is worth $598 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1916-to-1978/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1916 to 1978. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1916-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.