U.S. inflation · 1926–1938
$100 in 1926 has the same buying power as
$79.66
in 1938
| Cumulative price change | -20.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | -1.88% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $79.66 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | -$20.34 |
| CPI in 1926 | 17.7 |
| CPI in 1938 | 14.1 |
| Inflation in 1926 | 1.14% |
| Inflation in 1938 | -2.08% |
| $100 in 1926 → 1938 | $79.66 |
| $100 in 1938 → 1926 | $126 |
Between 1926 and 1938, the Consumer Price Index went from 17.7 to 14.1. Cumulatively, prices declined 20.3%, which works out to an average of -1.88% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1926 bought what $1.26 buys in 1938.
| Amount in 1926 | Value in 1938 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $0.80 |
| $5.00 | $3.98 |
| $10.00 | $7.97 |
| $20.00 | $15.93 |
| $50.00 | $39.83 |
| $100 | $79.66 |
| $500 | $398 |
| $1,000 | $797 |
| $5,000 | $3,983 |
| $10,000 | $7,966 |
| $100,000 | $79,661 |
| $1,000,000 | $796,610 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1926 spending costs in 1938, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1926 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | -1.88% | $79.66 |
| Apparel | -1.39% | $84.56 |
| Food | -2.79% | $71.18 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1926: 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 1926 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | 17.7 | 1.1% | $100 |
| 1927 | 17.4 | -1.7% | $98.31 |
| 1928 | 17.1 | -1.7% | $96.61 |
| 1929 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $96.61 |
| 1930 | 16.7 | -2.3% | $94.35 |
| 1931 | 15.2 | -9.0% | $85.88 |
| 1932 | 13.7 | -9.9% | $77.40 |
| 1933 | 13 | -5.1% | $73.45 |
| 1934 | 13.4 | 3.1% | $75.71 |
| 1935 | 13.7 | 2.2% | $77.40 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $78.53 |
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $81.36 |
| 1938 | 14.1 | -2.1% | $79.66 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1926 to 1938: $100 is worth $79.66 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1926-to-1938/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1926 to 1938. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1926-to-1938/
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.