U.S. inflation · 1921–1986
$100 in 1921 has the same buying power as
$612
in 1986
| Cumulative price change | 512.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.83% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $612 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $512 |
| CPI in 1921 | 17.9 |
| CPI in 1986 | 109.6 |
| Inflation in 1921 | -10.50% |
| Inflation in 1986 | 1.86% |
| $100 in 1921 → 1986 | $612 |
| $100 in 1986 → 1921 | $16.33 |
Between 1921 and 1986, the Consumer Price Index went from 17.9 to 109.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 512.3%, which works out to an average of 2.83% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1921 bought what $0.16 buys in 1986.
| Amount in 1921 | Value in 1986 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $6.12 |
| $5.00 | $30.61 |
| $10.00 | $61.23 |
| $20.00 | $122 |
| $50.00 | $306 |
| $100 | $612 |
| $500 | $3,061 |
| $1,000 | $6,123 |
| $5,000 | $30,615 |
| $10,000 | $61,229 |
| $100,000 | $612,291 |
| $1,000,000 | $6,122,905 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1921 spending costs in 1986, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1921 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.83% | $612 |
| Food | 3.01% | $686 |
| Apparel | 1.80% | $319 |
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 |
| 1926 | 17.7 | 1.1% | $98.88 |
| 1931 | 15.2 | -9.0% | $84.92 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $77.65 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $82.12 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $109 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $145 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $152 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $167 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $181 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $226 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $318 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $508 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $612 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1921 to 1986: $100 is worth $612 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1921-to-1986/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1921 to 1986. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1921-to-1986/
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.