U.S. inflation · 1918–1951
$100 in 1918 has the same buying power as
$172
in 1951
| Cumulative price change | 72.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.66% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $172 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $72.19 |
| CPI in 1918 | 15.1 |
| CPI in 1951 | 26 |
| Inflation in 1918 | 17.97% |
| Inflation in 1951 | 7.88% |
| $100 in 1918 → 1951 | $172 |
| $100 in 1951 → 1918 | $58.08 |
Between 1918 and 1951, the Consumer Price Index went from 15.1 to 26. Cumulatively, prices increased 72.2%, which works out to an average of 1.66% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1918 bought what $0.58 buys in 1951.
| Amount in 1918 | Value in 1951 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.72 |
| $5.00 | $8.61 |
| $10.00 | $17.22 |
| $20.00 | $34.44 |
| $50.00 | $86.09 |
| $100 | $172 |
| $500 | $861 |
| $1,000 | $1,722 |
| $5,000 | $8,609 |
| $10,000 | $17,219 |
| $100,000 | $172,185 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,721,854 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1918 spending costs in 1951, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1918 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.66% | $172 |
| Food | 1.60% | $169 |
| Apparel | 1.45% | $161 |
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 |
| 1920 | 20 | 15.6% | $132 |
| 1922 | 16.8 | -6.1% | $111 |
| 1924 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $113 |
| 1926 | 17.7 | 1.1% | $117 |
| 1928 | 17.1 | -1.7% | $113 |
| 1930 | 16.7 | -2.3% | $111 |
| 1932 | 13.7 | -9.9% | $90.73 |
| 1934 | 13.4 | 3.1% | $88.74 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $92.05 |
| 1938 | 14.1 | -2.1% | $93.38 |
| 1940 | 14 | 0.7% | $92.72 |
| 1942 | 16.3 | 10.9% | $108 |
| 1944 | 17.6 | 1.7% | $117 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $129 |
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $160 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $160 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $172 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1918 to 1951: $100 is worth $172 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1918-to-1951/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1918 to 1951. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1918-to-1951/
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.