U.S. inflation · 1932–1959
$100 in 1932 has the same buying power as
$212
in 1959
| Cumulative price change | 112.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.83% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $212 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $112 |
| CPI in 1932 | 13.7 |
| CPI in 1959 | 29.1 |
| Inflation in 1932 | -9.87% |
| Inflation in 1959 | 0.69% |
| $100 in 1932 → 1959 | $212 |
| $100 in 1959 → 1932 | $47.08 |
Between 1932 and 1959, the Consumer Price Index went from 13.7 to 29.1. Cumulatively, prices increased 112.4%, which works out to an average of 2.83% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1932 bought what $0.47 buys in 1959.
| Amount in 1932 | Value in 1959 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.12 |
| $5.00 | $10.62 |
| $10.00 | $21.24 |
| $20.00 | $42.48 |
| $50.00 | $106 |
| $100 | $212 |
| $500 | $1,062 |
| $1,000 | $2,124 |
| $5,000 | $10,620 |
| $10,000 | $21,241 |
| $100,000 | $212,409 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,124,088 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1932 spending costs in 1959, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1932 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.83% | $212 |
| Food | 3.85% | $278 |
| Apparel | 3.15% | $231 |
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 |
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $101 |
| 1940 | 14 | 0.7% | $102 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $107 |
| 1942 | 16.3 | 10.9% | $119 |
| 1943 | 17.3 | 6.1% | $126 |
| 1944 | 17.6 | 1.7% | $128 |
| 1945 | 18 | 2.3% | $131 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $142 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $163 |
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $176 |
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $174 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $176 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $190 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $193 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $195 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $196 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $196 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $199 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $205 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $211 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $212 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1932 to 1959: $100 is worth $212 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1932-to-1959/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1932 to 1959. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1932-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.