U.S. inflation · 1919–1926
$100 in 1919 has the same buying power as
$102
in 1926
| Cumulative price change | 2.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 0.33% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $102 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $2.31 |
| CPI in 1919 | 17.3 |
| CPI in 1926 | 17.7 |
| Inflation in 1919 | 14.57% |
| Inflation in 1926 | 1.14% |
| $100 in 1919 → 1926 | $102 |
| $100 in 1926 → 1919 | $97.74 |
Between 1919 and 1926, the Consumer Price Index went from 17.3 to 17.7. Cumulatively, prices increased 2.3%, which works out to an average of 0.33% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1919 bought what $0.98 buys in 1926.
| Amount in 1919 | Value in 1926 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.02 |
| $5.00 | $5.12 |
| $10.00 | $10.23 |
| $20.00 | $20.46 |
| $50.00 | $51.16 |
| $100 | $102 |
| $500 | $512 |
| $1,000 | $1,023 |
| $5,000 | $5,116 |
| $10,000 | $10,231 |
| $100,000 | $102,312 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,023,121 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1919 spending costs in 1926, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1919 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 0.33% | $102 |
| Food | -1.28% | $91.40 |
| Apparel | -4.67% | $71.55 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1919: 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 1919 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 | 17.3 | 14.6% | $100 |
| 1920 | 20 | 15.6% | $116 |
| 1921 | 17.9 | -10.5% | $103 |
| 1922 | 16.8 | -6.1% | $97.11 |
| 1923 | 17.1 | 1.8% | $98.84 |
| 1924 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $98.84 |
| 1925 | 17.5 | 2.3% | $101 |
| 1926 | 17.7 | 1.1% | $102 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1919 to 1926: $100 is worth $102 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1919-to-1926/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1919 to 1926. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1919-to-1926/
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.