U.S. inflation · 1920–1956
$100 in 1920 has the same buying power as
$136
in 1956
| Cumulative price change | 36.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 0.86% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $136 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $36.00 |
| CPI in 1920 | 20 |
| CPI in 1956 | 27.2 |
| Inflation in 1920 | 15.61% |
| Inflation in 1956 | 1.49% |
| $100 in 1920 → 1956 | $136 |
| $100 in 1956 → 1920 | $73.53 |
Between 1920 and 1956, the Consumer Price Index went from 20 to 27.2. Cumulatively, prices increased 36.0%, which works out to an average of 0.86% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1920 bought what $0.74 buys in 1956.
| Amount in 1920 | Value in 1956 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.36 |
| $5.00 | $6.80 |
| $10.00 | $13.60 |
| $20.00 | $27.20 |
| $50.00 | $68.00 |
| $100 | $136 |
| $500 | $680 |
| $1,000 | $1,360 |
| $5,000 | $6,800 |
| $10,000 | $13,600 |
| $100,000 | $136,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,360,000 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1920 spending costs in 1956, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1920 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 0.86% | $136 |
| Food | 0.80% | $133 |
| Apparel | 0.04% | $101 |
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 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $133 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $135 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $136 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1920 to 1956: $100 is worth $136 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1920-to-1956/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1920 to 1956. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1920-to-1956/
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.