U.S. inflation · 1926–2021
$100 in 1926 has the same buying power as
$1,531
in 2021
| Cumulative price change | 1430.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.91% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,531 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $1,431 |
| CPI in 1926 | 17.7 |
| CPI in 2021 | 270.97 |
| Inflation in 1926 | 1.14% |
| Inflation in 2021 | 4.70% |
| $100 in 1926 → 2021 | $1,531 |
| $100 in 2021 → 1926 | $6.53 |
Between 1926 and 2021, the Consumer Price Index went from 17.7 to 270.97. Cumulatively, prices increased 1430.9%, which works out to an average of 2.91% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1926 bought what $0.07 buys in 2021.
| Amount in 1926 | Value in 2021 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $15.31 |
| $5.00 | $76.55 |
| $10.00 | $153 |
| $20.00 | $306 |
| $50.00 | $765 |
| $100 | $1,531 |
| $500 | $7,655 |
| $1,000 | $15,309 |
| $5,000 | $76,545 |
| $10,000 | $153,090 |
| $100,000 | $1,530,904 |
| $1,000,000 | $15,309,040 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1926 spending costs in 2021, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1926 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.91% | $1,531 |
| Food | 2.98% | $1,634 |
| Apparel | 1.64% | $467 |
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 |
| 1931 | 15.2 | -9.0% | $85.88 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $78.53 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $83.05 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $110 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $147 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $154 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $169 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $183 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $229 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $321 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $514 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $619 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $769 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $886 |
| 2001 | 177.1 | 2.8% | $1,001 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $1,139 |
| 2011 | 224.939 | 3.2% | $1,271 |
| 2016 | 240.007 | 1.3% | $1,356 |
| 2021 | 270.97 | 4.7% | $1,531 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1926 to 2021: $100 is worth $1,531 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1926-to-2021/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1926 to 2021. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1926-to-2021/
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.