U.S. inflation · 1922–1939
$100 in 1922 has the same buying power as
$82.74
in 1939
| Cumulative price change | -17.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | -1.11% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $82.74 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | -$17.26 |
| CPI in 1922 | 16.8 |
| CPI in 1939 | 13.9 |
| Inflation in 1922 | -6.15% |
| Inflation in 1939 | -1.42% |
| $100 in 1922 → 1939 | $82.74 |
| $100 in 1939 → 1922 | $121 |
Between 1922 and 1939, the Consumer Price Index went from 16.8 to 13.9. Cumulatively, prices declined 17.3%, which works out to an average of -1.11% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1922 bought what $1.21 buys in 1939.
| Amount in 1922 | Value in 1939 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $0.83 |
| $5.00 | $4.14 |
| $10.00 | $8.27 |
| $20.00 | $16.55 |
| $50.00 | $41.37 |
| $100 | $82.74 |
| $500 | $414 |
| $1,000 | $827 |
| $5,000 | $4,137 |
| $10,000 | $8,274 |
| $100,000 | $82,738 |
| $1,000,000 | $827,381 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1922 spending costs in 1939, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1922 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | -1.11% | $82.74 |
| Apparel | -1.30% | $80.00 |
| Food | -1.36% | $79.19 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1922: 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 1922 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | 16.8 | -6.1% | $100 |
| 1923 | 17.1 | 1.8% | $102 |
| 1924 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $102 |
| 1925 | 17.5 | 2.3% | $104 |
| 1926 | 17.7 | 1.1% | $105 |
| 1927 | 17.4 | -1.7% | $104 |
| 1928 | 17.1 | -1.7% | $102 |
| 1929 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $102 |
| 1930 | 16.7 | -2.3% | $99.40 |
| 1931 | 15.2 | -9.0% | $90.48 |
| 1932 | 13.7 | -9.9% | $81.55 |
| 1933 | 13 | -5.1% | $77.38 |
| 1934 | 13.4 | 3.1% | $79.76 |
| 1935 | 13.7 | 2.2% | $81.55 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $82.74 |
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $85.71 |
| 1938 | 14.1 | -2.1% | $83.93 |
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $82.74 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1922 to 1939: $100 is worth $82.74 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1922-to-1939/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1922 to 1939. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1922-to-1939/
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.