U.S. inflation · 1925–1929
$100 in 1925 has the same buying power as
$97.71
in 1929
| Cumulative price change | -2.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | -0.58% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $97.71 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | -$2.29 |
| CPI in 1925 | 17.5 |
| CPI in 1929 | 17.1 |
| Inflation in 1925 | 2.34% |
| Inflation in 1929 | 0.00% |
| $100 in 1925 → 1929 | $97.71 |
| $100 in 1929 → 1925 | $102 |
Between 1925 and 1929, the Consumer Price Index went from 17.5 to 17.1. Cumulatively, prices declined 2.3%, which works out to an average of -0.58% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1925 bought what $1.02 buys in 1929.
| Amount in 1925 | Value in 1929 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $0.98 |
| $5.00 | $4.89 |
| $10.00 | $9.77 |
| $20.00 | $19.54 |
| $50.00 | $48.86 |
| $100 | $97.71 |
| $500 | $489 |
| $1,000 | $977 |
| $5,000 | $4,886 |
| $10,000 | $9,771 |
| $100,000 | $97,714 |
| $1,000,000 | $977,143 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1925 spending costs in 1929, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1925 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | -0.58% | $97.71 |
| Food | 0.00% | $100 |
| Apparel | -1.56% | $93.92 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1925: 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 1925 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1925 | 17.5 | 2.3% | $100 |
| 1926 | 17.7 | 1.1% | $101 |
| 1927 | 17.4 | -1.7% | $99.43 |
| 1928 | 17.1 | -1.7% | $97.71 |
| 1929 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $97.71 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1925 to 1929: $100 is worth $97.71 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1925-to-1929/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1925 to 1929. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1925-to-1929/
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.