U.S. inflation · 1921–1942
$100 in 1921 has the same buying power as
$91.06
in 1942
| Cumulative price change | -8.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | -0.44% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $91.06 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | -$8.94 |
| CPI in 1921 | 17.9 |
| CPI in 1942 | 16.3 |
| Inflation in 1921 | -10.50% |
| Inflation in 1942 | 10.88% |
| $100 in 1921 → 1942 | $91.06 |
| $100 in 1942 → 1921 | $110 |
Between 1921 and 1942, the Consumer Price Index went from 17.9 to 16.3. Cumulatively, prices declined 8.9%, which works out to an average of -0.44% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1921 bought what $1.10 buys in 1942.
| Amount in 1921 | Value in 1942 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $0.91 |
| $5.00 | $4.55 |
| $10.00 | $9.11 |
| $20.00 | $18.21 |
| $50.00 | $45.53 |
| $100 | $91.06 |
| $500 | $455 |
| $1,000 | $911 |
| $5,000 | $4,553 |
| $10,000 | $9,106 |
| $100,000 | $91,061 |
| $1,000,000 | $910,615 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1921 spending costs in 1942, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1921 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | -0.44% | $91.06 |
| Food | -0.15% | $96.86 |
| Apparel | -1.03% | $80.42 |
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 |
| 1932 | 13.7 | -9.9% | $76.54 |
| 1933 | 13 | -5.1% | $72.63 |
| 1934 | 13.4 | 3.1% | $74.86 |
| 1935 | 13.7 | 2.2% | $76.54 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $77.65 |
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $80.45 |
| 1938 | 14.1 | -2.1% | $78.77 |
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $77.65 |
| 1940 | 14 | 0.7% | $78.21 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $82.12 |
| 1942 | 16.3 | 10.9% | $91.06 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1921 to 1942: $100 is worth $91.06 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1921-to-1942/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1921 to 1942. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1921-to-1942/
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.