U.S. inflation · 1929–1959
$100 in 1929 has the same buying power as
$170
in 1959
| Cumulative price change | 70.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.79% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $170 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $70.18 |
| CPI in 1929 | 17.1 |
| CPI in 1959 | 29.1 |
| Inflation in 1929 | 0.00% |
| Inflation in 1959 | 0.69% |
| $100 in 1929 → 1959 | $170 |
| $100 in 1959 → 1929 | $58.76 |
Between 1929 and 1959, the Consumer Price Index went from 17.1 to 29.1. Cumulatively, prices increased 70.2%, which works out to an average of 1.79% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1929 bought what $0.59 buys in 1959.
| Amount in 1929 | Value in 1959 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.70 |
| $5.00 | $8.51 |
| $10.00 | $17.02 |
| $20.00 | $34.04 |
| $50.00 | $85.09 |
| $100 | $170 |
| $500 | $851 |
| $1,000 | $1,702 |
| $5,000 | $8,509 |
| $10,000 | $17,018 |
| $100,000 | $170,175 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,701,754 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1929 spending costs in 1959, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1929 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.79% | $170 |
| Apparel | 2.02% | $182 |
| Food | 1.98% | $180 |
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 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $130 |
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $141 |
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $139 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $141 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $152 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $155 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $156 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $157 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $157 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $159 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $164 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $169 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $170 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1929 to 1959: $100 is worth $170 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1929-to-1959/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1929 to 1959. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1929-to-1959/
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.