U.S. inflation · 1927–1931
$100 in 1927 has the same buying power as
$87.36
in 1931
| Cumulative price change | -12.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | -3.32% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $87.36 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | -$12.64 |
| CPI in 1927 | 17.4 |
| CPI in 1931 | 15.2 |
| Inflation in 1927 | -1.69% |
| Inflation in 1931 | -8.98% |
| $100 in 1927 → 1931 | $87.36 |
| $100 in 1931 → 1927 | $114 |
Between 1927 and 1931, the Consumer Price Index went from 17.4 to 15.2. Cumulatively, prices declined 12.6%, which works out to an average of -3.32% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1927 bought what $1.14 buys in 1931.
| Amount in 1927 | Value in 1931 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $0.87 |
| $5.00 | $4.37 |
| $10.00 | $8.74 |
| $20.00 | $17.47 |
| $50.00 | $43.68 |
| $100 | $87.36 |
| $500 | $437 |
| $1,000 | $874 |
| $5,000 | $4,368 |
| $10,000 | $8,736 |
| $100,000 | $87,356 |
| $1,000,000 | $873,563 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1927 spending costs in 1931, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1927 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | -3.32% | $87.36 |
| Apparel | -3.43% | $86.96 |
| Food | -5.82% | $78.66 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1927: 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 1927 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 | 17.4 | -1.7% | $100 |
| 1928 | 17.1 | -1.7% | $98.28 |
| 1929 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $98.28 |
| 1930 | 16.7 | -2.3% | $95.98 |
| 1931 | 15.2 | -9.0% | $87.36 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1927 to 1931: $100 is worth $87.36 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1927-to-1931/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1927 to 1931. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1927-to-1931/
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.