U.S. inflation · 1917–1978
$100 in 1917 has the same buying power as
$509
in 1978
| Cumulative price change | 409.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.70% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $509 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $409 |
| CPI in 1917 | 12.8 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| Inflation in 1917 | 17.43% |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| $100 in 1917 → 1978 | $509 |
| $100 in 1978 → 1917 | $19.63 |
Between 1917 and 1978, the Consumer Price Index went from 12.8 to 65.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 409.4%, which works out to an average of 2.70% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1917 bought what $0.20 buys in 1978.
| Amount in 1917 | Value in 1978 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $5.09 |
| $5.00 | $25.47 |
| $10.00 | $50.94 |
| $20.00 | $102 |
| $50.00 | $255 |
| $100 | $509 |
| $500 | $2,547 |
| $1,000 | $5,094 |
| $5,000 | $25,469 |
| $10,000 | $50,938 |
| $100,000 | $509,375 |
| $1,000,000 | $5,093,750 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1917 spending costs in 1978, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1917 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.70% | $509 |
| Food | 2.66% | $497 |
| Apparel | 2.31% | $403 |
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 |
| 1922 | 16.8 | -6.1% | $131 |
| 1927 | 17.4 | -1.7% | $136 |
| 1932 | 13.7 | -9.9% | $107 |
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $113 |
| 1942 | 16.3 | 10.9% | $127 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $174 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $207 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $220 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $236 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $261 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $327 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $473 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $509 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1917 to 1978: $100 is worth $509 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1917-to-1978/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1917 to 1978. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1917-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.