U.S. inflation · 1931–1959
$100 in 1931 has the same buying power as
$191
in 1959
| Cumulative price change | 91.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.35% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $191 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $91.45 |
| CPI in 1931 | 15.2 |
| CPI in 1959 | 29.1 |
| Inflation in 1931 | -8.98% |
| Inflation in 1959 | 0.69% |
| $100 in 1931 → 1959 | $191 |
| $100 in 1959 → 1931 | $52.23 |
Between 1931 and 1959, the Consumer Price Index went from 15.2 to 29.1. Cumulatively, prices increased 91.4%, which works out to an average of 2.35% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1931 bought what $0.52 buys in 1959.
| Amount in 1931 | Value in 1959 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.91 |
| $5.00 | $9.57 |
| $10.00 | $19.14 |
| $20.00 | $38.29 |
| $50.00 | $95.72 |
| $100 | $191 |
| $500 | $957 |
| $1,000 | $1,914 |
| $5,000 | $9,572 |
| $10,000 | $19,145 |
| $100,000 | $191,447 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,914,474 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1931 spending costs in 1959, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1931 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.35% | $191 |
| Food | 3.02% | $230 |
| Apparel | 2.59% | $205 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1931: 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 1931 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | 15.2 | -9.0% | $100 |
| 1932 | 13.7 | -9.9% | $90.13 |
| 1933 | 13 | -5.1% | $85.53 |
| 1934 | 13.4 | 3.1% | $88.16 |
| 1935 | 13.7 | 2.2% | $90.13 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $91.45 |
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $94.74 |
| 1938 | 14.1 | -2.1% | $92.76 |
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $91.45 |
| 1940 | 14 | 0.7% | $92.11 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $96.71 |
| 1942 | 16.3 | 10.9% | $107 |
| 1943 | 17.3 | 6.1% | $114 |
| 1944 | 17.6 | 1.7% | $116 |
| 1945 | 18 | 2.3% | $118 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $128 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $147 |
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $159 |
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $157 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $159 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $171 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $174 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $176 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $177 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $176 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $179 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $185 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $190 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $191 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1931 to 1959: $100 is worth $191 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1931-to-1959/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1931 to 1959. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1931-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.