U.S. inflation · 1917–1949
$100 in 1917 has the same buying power as
$186
in 1949
| Cumulative price change | 85.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.96% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $186 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $85.94 |
| CPI in 1917 | 12.8 |
| CPI in 1949 | 23.8 |
| Inflation in 1917 | 17.43% |
| Inflation in 1949 | -1.24% |
| $100 in 1917 → 1949 | $186 |
| $100 in 1949 → 1917 | $53.78 |
Between 1917 and 1949, the Consumer Price Index went from 12.8 to 23.8. Cumulatively, prices increased 85.9%, which works out to an average of 1.96% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1917 bought what $0.54 buys in 1949.
| Amount in 1917 | Value in 1949 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.86 |
| $5.00 | $9.30 |
| $10.00 | $18.59 |
| $20.00 | $37.19 |
| $50.00 | $92.97 |
| $100 | $186 |
| $500 | $930 |
| $1,000 | $1,859 |
| $5,000 | $9,297 |
| $10,000 | $18,594 |
| $100,000 | $185,938 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,859,375 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1917 spending costs in 1949, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1917 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.96% | $186 |
| Apparel | 2.22% | $202 |
| Food | 1.72% | $172 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1917: 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 1917 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1917 | 12.8 | 17.4% | $100 |
| 1919 | 17.3 | 14.6% | $135 |
| 1921 | 17.9 | -10.5% | $140 |
| 1923 | 17.1 | 1.8% | $134 |
| 1925 | 17.5 | 2.3% | $137 |
| 1927 | 17.4 | -1.7% | $136 |
| 1929 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $134 |
| 1931 | 15.2 | -9.0% | $119 |
| 1933 | 13 | -5.1% | $102 |
| 1935 | 13.7 | 2.2% | $107 |
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $113 |
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $109 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $115 |
| 1943 | 17.3 | 6.1% | $135 |
| 1945 | 18 | 2.3% | $141 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $174 |
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $186 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1917 to 1949: $100 is worth $186 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1917-to-1949/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1917 to 1949. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1917-to-1949/
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.