U.S. inflation · 1920–1931
$100 in 1920 has the same buying power as
$76.00
in 1931
| Cumulative price change | -24.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | -2.46% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $76.00 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | -$24.00 |
| CPI in 1920 | 20 |
| CPI in 1931 | 15.2 |
| Inflation in 1920 | 15.61% |
| Inflation in 1931 | -8.98% |
| $100 in 1920 → 1931 | $76.00 |
| $100 in 1931 → 1920 | $132 |
Between 1920 and 1931, the Consumer Price Index went from 20 to 15.2. Cumulatively, prices declined 24.0%, which works out to an average of -2.46% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1920 bought what $1.32 buys in 1931.
| Amount in 1920 | Value in 1931 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $0.76 |
| $5.00 | $3.80 |
| $10.00 | $7.60 |
| $20.00 | $15.20 |
| $50.00 | $38.00 |
| $100 | $76.00 |
| $500 | $380 |
| $1,000 | $760 |
| $5,000 | $3,800 |
| $10,000 | $7,600 |
| $100,000 | $76,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $760,000 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1920 spending costs in 1931, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1920 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | -2.46% | $76.00 |
| Food | -4.33% | $61.43 |
| Apparel | -5.93% | $51.04 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1920: 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 1920 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 20 | 15.6% | $100 |
| 1921 | 17.9 | -10.5% | $89.50 |
| 1922 | 16.8 | -6.1% | $84.00 |
| 1923 | 17.1 | 1.8% | $85.50 |
| 1924 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $85.50 |
| 1925 | 17.5 | 2.3% | $87.50 |
| 1926 | 17.7 | 1.1% | $88.50 |
| 1927 | 17.4 | -1.7% | $87.00 |
| 1928 | 17.1 | -1.7% | $85.50 |
| 1929 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $85.50 |
| 1930 | 16.7 | -2.3% | $83.50 |
| 1931 | 15.2 | -9.0% | $76.00 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1920 to 1931: $100 is worth $76.00 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1920-to-1931/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1920 to 1931. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1920-to-1931/
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.