U.S. inflation · 1929–1936
$100 in 1929 has the same buying power as
$81.29
in 1936
| Cumulative price change | -18.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | -2.92% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $81.29 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | -$18.71 |
| CPI in 1929 | 17.1 |
| CPI in 1936 | 13.9 |
| Inflation in 1929 | 0.00% |
| Inflation in 1936 | 1.46% |
| $100 in 1929 → 1936 | $81.29 |
| $100 in 1936 → 1929 | $123 |
Between 1929 and 1936, the Consumer Price Index went from 17.1 to 13.9. Cumulatively, prices declined 18.7%, which works out to an average of -2.92% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1929 bought what $1.23 buys in 1936.
| Amount in 1929 | Value in 1936 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $0.81 |
| $5.00 | $4.06 |
| $10.00 | $8.13 |
| $20.00 | $16.26 |
| $50.00 | $40.64 |
| $100 | $81.29 |
| $500 | $406 |
| $1,000 | $813 |
| $5,000 | $4,064 |
| $10,000 | $8,129 |
| $100,000 | $81,287 |
| $1,000,000 | $812,865 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1929 spending costs in 1936, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1929 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | -2.92% | $81.29 |
| Apparel | -2.29% | $85.02 |
| Food | -3.78% | $76.36 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1929: 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 1929 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $100 |
| 1930 | 16.7 | -2.3% | $97.66 |
| 1931 | 15.2 | -9.0% | $88.89 |
| 1932 | 13.7 | -9.9% | $80.12 |
| 1933 | 13 | -5.1% | $76.02 |
| 1934 | 13.4 | 3.1% | $78.36 |
| 1935 | 13.7 | 2.2% | $80.12 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $81.29 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1929 to 1936: $100 is worth $81.29 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1929-to-1936/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1929 to 1936. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1929-to-1936/
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.