U.S. inflation · 1932–1938
$100 in 1932 has the same buying power as
$103
in 1938
| Cumulative price change | 2.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 0.48% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $103 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $2.92 |
| CPI in 1932 | 13.7 |
| CPI in 1938 | 14.1 |
| Inflation in 1932 | -9.87% |
| Inflation in 1938 | -2.08% |
| $100 in 1932 → 1938 | $103 |
| $100 in 1938 → 1932 | $97.16 |
Between 1932 and 1938, the Consumer Price Index went from 13.7 to 14.1. Cumulatively, prices increased 2.9%, which works out to an average of 0.48% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1932 bought what $0.97 buys in 1938.
| Amount in 1932 | Value in 1938 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.03 |
| $5.00 | $5.15 |
| $10.00 | $10.29 |
| $20.00 | $20.58 |
| $50.00 | $51.46 |
| $100 | $103 |
| $500 | $515 |
| $1,000 | $1,029 |
| $5,000 | $5,146 |
| $10,000 | $10,292 |
| $100,000 | $102,920 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,029,197 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1932 spending costs in 1938, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1932 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 0.48% | $103 |
| Food | 2.07% | $113 |
| Apparel | 1.95% | $112 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1932: 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 1932 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | 13.7 | -9.9% | $100 |
| 1933 | 13 | -5.1% | $94.89 |
| 1934 | 13.4 | 3.1% | $97.81 |
| 1935 | 13.7 | 2.2% | $100 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $101 |
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $105 |
| 1938 | 14.1 | -2.1% | $103 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1932 to 1938: $100 is worth $103 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1932-to-1938/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1932 to 1938. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1932-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.