U.S. inflation · 1930–1939
$100 in 1930 has the same buying power as
$83.23
in 1939
| Cumulative price change | -16.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | -2.02% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $83.23 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | -$16.77 |
| CPI in 1930 | 16.7 |
| CPI in 1939 | 13.9 |
| Inflation in 1930 | -2.34% |
| Inflation in 1939 | -1.42% |
| $100 in 1930 → 1939 | $83.23 |
| $100 in 1939 → 1930 | $120 |
Between 1930 and 1939, the Consumer Price Index went from 16.7 to 13.9. Cumulatively, prices declined 16.8%, which works out to an average of -2.02% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1930 bought what $1.20 buys in 1939.
| Amount in 1930 | Value in 1939 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $0.83 |
| $5.00 | $4.16 |
| $10.00 | $8.32 |
| $20.00 | $16.65 |
| $50.00 | $41.62 |
| $100 | $83.23 |
| $500 | $416 |
| $1,000 | $832 |
| $5,000 | $4,162 |
| $10,000 | $8,323 |
| $100,000 | $83,234 |
| $1,000,000 | $832,335 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1930 spending costs in 1939, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1930 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | -2.02% | $83.23 |
| Apparel | -1.25% | $89.26 |
| Food | -3.05% | $75.64 |
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 |
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $83.23 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1930 to 1939: $100 is worth $83.23 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1930-to-1939/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1930 to 1939. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1930-to-1939/
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.