U.S. inflation · 1929–1946
$100 in 1929 has the same buying power as
$114
in 1946
| Cumulative price change | 14.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 0.78% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $114 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $14.04 |
| CPI in 1929 | 17.1 |
| CPI in 1946 | 19.5 |
| Inflation in 1929 | 0.00% |
| Inflation in 1946 | 8.33% |
| $100 in 1929 → 1946 | $114 |
| $100 in 1946 → 1929 | $87.69 |
Between 1929 and 1946, the Consumer Price Index went from 17.1 to 19.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 14.0%, which works out to an average of 0.78% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1929 bought what $0.88 buys in 1946.
| Amount in 1929 | Value in 1946 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.14 |
| $5.00 | $5.70 |
| $10.00 | $11.40 |
| $20.00 | $22.81 |
| $50.00 | $57.02 |
| $100 | $114 |
| $500 | $570 |
| $1,000 | $1,140 |
| $5,000 | $5,702 |
| $10,000 | $11,404 |
| $100,000 | $114,035 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,140,351 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1929 spending costs in 1946, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1929 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 0.78% | $114 |
| Apparel | 1.97% | $139 |
| Food | 1.08% | $120 |
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 |
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $84.21 |
| 1938 | 14.1 | -2.1% | $82.46 |
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $81.29 |
| 1940 | 14 | 0.7% | $81.87 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $85.96 |
| 1942 | 16.3 | 10.9% | $95.32 |
| 1943 | 17.3 | 6.1% | $101 |
| 1944 | 17.6 | 1.7% | $103 |
| 1945 | 18 | 2.3% | $105 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $114 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1929 to 1946: $100 is worth $114 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1929-to-1946/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1929 to 1946. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1929-to-1946/
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.