U.S. inflation · 1920–1951
$100 in 1920 has the same buying power as
$130
in 1951
| Cumulative price change | 30.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 0.85% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $130 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $30.00 |
| CPI in 1920 | 20 |
| CPI in 1951 | 26 |
| Inflation in 1920 | 15.61% |
| Inflation in 1951 | 7.88% |
| $100 in 1920 → 1951 | $130 |
| $100 in 1951 → 1920 | $76.92 |
Between 1920 and 1951, the Consumer Price Index went from 20 to 26. Cumulatively, prices increased 30.0%, which works out to an average of 0.85% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1920 bought what $0.77 buys in 1951.
| Amount in 1920 | Value in 1951 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.30 |
| $5.00 | $6.50 |
| $10.00 | $13.00 |
| $20.00 | $26.00 |
| $50.00 | $65.00 |
| $100 | $130 |
| $500 | $650 |
| $1,000 | $1,300 |
| $5,000 | $6,500 |
| $10,000 | $13,000 |
| $100,000 | $130,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,300,000 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1920 spending costs in 1951, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1920 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 0.85% | $130 |
| Food | 0.96% | $134 |
| Apparel | 0.06% | $102 |
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 |
| 1922 | 16.8 | -6.1% | $84.00 |
| 1924 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $85.50 |
| 1926 | 17.7 | 1.1% | $88.50 |
| 1928 | 17.1 | -1.7% | $85.50 |
| 1930 | 16.7 | -2.3% | $83.50 |
| 1932 | 13.7 | -9.9% | $68.50 |
| 1934 | 13.4 | 3.1% | $67.00 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $69.50 |
| 1938 | 14.1 | -2.1% | $70.50 |
| 1940 | 14 | 0.7% | $70.00 |
| 1942 | 16.3 | 10.9% | $81.50 |
| 1944 | 17.6 | 1.7% | $88.00 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $97.50 |
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $121 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $121 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $130 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1920 to 1951: $100 is worth $130 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1920-to-1951/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1920 to 1951. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1920-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.