U.S. inflation · 1917–1959
$100 in 1917 has the same buying power as
$227
in 1959
| Cumulative price change | 127.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.97% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $227 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $127 |
| CPI in 1917 | 12.8 |
| CPI in 1959 | 29.1 |
| Inflation in 1917 | 17.43% |
| Inflation in 1959 | 0.69% |
| $100 in 1917 → 1959 | $227 |
| $100 in 1959 → 1917 | $43.99 |
Between 1917 and 1959, the Consumer Price Index went from 12.8 to 29.1. Cumulatively, prices increased 127.3%, which works out to an average of 1.97% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1917 bought what $0.44 buys in 1959.
| Amount in 1917 | Value in 1959 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.27 |
| $5.00 | $11.37 |
| $10.00 | $22.73 |
| $20.00 | $45.47 |
| $50.00 | $114 |
| $100 | $227 |
| $500 | $1,137 |
| $1,000 | $2,273 |
| $5,000 | $11,367 |
| $10,000 | $22,734 |
| $100,000 | $227,344 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,273,438 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1917 spending costs in 1959, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1917 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.97% | $227 |
| Apparel | 1.93% | $223 |
| Food | 1.72% | $205 |
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 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $203 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $209 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $209 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $220 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $227 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1917 to 1959: $100 is worth $227 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1917-to-1959/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1917 to 1959. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1917-to-1959/
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.