U.S. inflation · 1921–1931
$100 in 1921 has the same buying power as
$84.92
in 1931
| Cumulative price change | -15.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | -1.62% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $84.92 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | -$15.08 |
| CPI in 1921 | 17.9 |
| CPI in 1931 | 15.2 |
| Inflation in 1921 | -10.50% |
| Inflation in 1931 | -8.98% |
| $100 in 1921 → 1931 | $84.92 |
| $100 in 1931 → 1921 | $118 |
Between 1921 and 1931, the Consumer Price Index went from 17.9 to 15.2. Cumulatively, prices declined 15.1%, which works out to an average of -1.62% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1921 bought what $1.18 buys in 1931.
| Amount in 1921 | Value in 1931 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $0.85 |
| $5.00 | $4.25 |
| $10.00 | $8.49 |
| $20.00 | $16.98 |
| $50.00 | $42.46 |
| $100 | $84.92 |
| $500 | $425 |
| $1,000 | $849 |
| $5,000 | $4,246 |
| $10,000 | $8,492 |
| $100,000 | $84,916 |
| $1,000,000 | $849,162 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1921 spending costs in 1931, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1921 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | -1.62% | $84.92 |
| Food | -2.07% | $81.13 |
| Apparel | -4.03% | $66.27 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1921: 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 1921 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 17.9 | -10.5% | $100 |
| 1922 | 16.8 | -6.1% | $93.85 |
| 1923 | 17.1 | 1.8% | $95.53 |
| 1924 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $95.53 |
| 1925 | 17.5 | 2.3% | $97.77 |
| 1926 | 17.7 | 1.1% | $98.88 |
| 1927 | 17.4 | -1.7% | $97.21 |
| 1928 | 17.1 | -1.7% | $95.53 |
| 1929 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $95.53 |
| 1930 | 16.7 | -2.3% | $93.30 |
| 1931 | 15.2 | -9.0% | $84.92 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1921 to 1931: $100 is worth $84.92 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1921-to-1931/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1921 to 1931. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1921-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.