U.S. inflation · 1930–1938
$100 in 1930 has the same buying power as
$84.43
in 1938
| Cumulative price change | -15.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | -2.09% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $84.43 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | -$15.57 |
| CPI in 1930 | 16.7 |
| CPI in 1938 | 14.1 |
| Inflation in 1930 | -2.34% |
| Inflation in 1938 | -2.08% |
| $100 in 1930 → 1938 | $84.43 |
| $100 in 1938 → 1930 | $118 |
Between 1930 and 1938, the Consumer Price Index went from 16.7 to 14.1. Cumulatively, prices declined 15.6%, which works out to an average of -2.09% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1930 bought what $1.18 buys in 1938.
| Amount in 1930 | Value in 1938 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $0.84 |
| $5.00 | $4.22 |
| $10.00 | $8.44 |
| $20.00 | $16.89 |
| $50.00 | $42.22 |
| $100 | $84.43 |
| $500 | $422 |
| $1,000 | $844 |
| $5,000 | $4,222 |
| $10,000 | $8,443 |
| $100,000 | $84,431 |
| $1,000,000 | $844,311 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1930 spending costs in 1938, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1930 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | -2.09% | $84.43 |
| Apparel | -1.24% | $90.50 |
| Food | -3.13% | $77.56 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1930: 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 1930 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 16.7 | -2.3% | $100 |
| 1931 | 15.2 | -9.0% | $91.02 |
| 1932 | 13.7 | -9.9% | $82.04 |
| 1933 | 13 | -5.1% | $77.84 |
| 1934 | 13.4 | 3.1% | $80.24 |
| 1935 | 13.7 | 2.2% | $82.04 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $83.23 |
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $86.23 |
| 1938 | 14.1 | -2.1% | $84.43 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1930 to 1938: $100 is worth $84.43 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1930-to-1938/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1930 to 1938. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1930-to-1938/
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.