U.S. inflation · 1932–2021
$100 in 1932 has the same buying power as
$1,978
in 2021
| Cumulative price change | 1877.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.41% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,978 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $1,878 |
| CPI in 1932 | 13.7 |
| CPI in 2021 | 270.97 |
| Inflation in 1932 | -9.87% |
| Inflation in 2021 | 4.70% |
| $100 in 1932 → 2021 | $1,978 |
| $100 in 2021 → 1932 | $5.06 |
Between 1932 and 2021, the Consumer Price Index went from 13.7 to 270.97. Cumulatively, prices increased 1877.9%, which works out to an average of 3.41% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1932 bought what $0.05 buys in 2021.
| Amount in 1932 | Value in 2021 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $19.78 |
| $5.00 | $98.89 |
| $10.00 | $198 |
| $20.00 | $396 |
| $50.00 | $989 |
| $100 | $1,978 |
| $500 | $9,889 |
| $1,000 | $19,779 |
| $5,000 | $98,894 |
| $10,000 | $197,788 |
| $100,000 | $1,977,883 |
| $1,000,000 | $19,778,832 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1932 spending costs in 2021, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1932 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.41% | $1,978 |
| Food | 3.73% | $2,596 |
| Apparel | 2.07% | $620 |
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 |
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $105 |
| 1942 | 16.3 | 10.9% | $119 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $163 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $193 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $205 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $220 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $244 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $305 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $442 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $704 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $829 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $1,024 |
| 1997 | 160.5 | 2.3% | $1,172 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $1,313 |
| 2007 | 207.342 | 2.8% | $1,513 |
| 2012 | 229.594 | 2.1% | $1,676 |
| 2017 | 245.12 | 2.1% | $1,789 |
| 2021 | 270.97 | 4.7% | $1,978 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1932 to 2021: $100 is worth $1,978 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1932-to-2021/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1932 to 2021. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1932-to-2021/
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.