U.S. inflation · 1918–1920
$100 in 1918 has the same buying power as
$132
in 1920
| Cumulative price change | 32.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 15.09% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $132 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $32.45 |
| CPI in 1918 | 15.1 |
| CPI in 1920 | 20 |
| Inflation in 1918 | 17.97% |
| Inflation in 1920 | 15.61% |
| $100 in 1918 → 1920 | $132 |
| $100 in 1920 → 1918 | $75.50 |
Between 1918 and 1920, the Consumer Price Index went from 15.1 to 20. Cumulatively, prices increased 32.5%, which works out to an average of 15.09% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1918 bought what $0.76 buys in 1920.
| Amount in 1918 | Value in 1920 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.32 |
| $5.00 | $6.62 |
| $10.00 | $13.25 |
| $20.00 | $26.49 |
| $50.00 | $66.23 |
| $100 | $132 |
| $500 | $662 |
| $1,000 | $1,325 |
| $5,000 | $6,623 |
| $10,000 | $13,245 |
| $100,000 | $132,450 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,324,503 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1918 spending costs in 1920, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1918 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 15.09% | $132 |
| Apparel | 25.65% | $158 |
| Food | 12.14% | $126 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1918: 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 1918 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1918 | 15.1 | 18.0% | $100 |
| 1919 | 17.3 | 14.6% | $115 |
| 1920 | 20 | 15.6% | $132 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1918 to 1920: $100 is worth $132 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1918-to-1920/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1918 to 1920. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1918-to-1920/
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.