U.S. inflation · 1933–1941
$100 in 1933 has the same buying power as
$113
in 1941
| Cumulative price change | 13.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.55% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $113 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $13.08 |
| CPI in 1933 | 13 |
| CPI in 1941 | 14.7 |
| Inflation in 1933 | -5.11% |
| Inflation in 1941 | 5.00% |
| $100 in 1933 → 1941 | $113 |
| $100 in 1941 → 1933 | $88.44 |
Between 1933 and 1941, the Consumer Price Index went from 13 to 14.7. Cumulatively, prices increased 13.1%, which works out to an average of 1.55% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1933 bought what $0.88 buys in 1941.
| Amount in 1933 | Value in 1941 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.13 |
| $5.00 | $5.65 |
| $10.00 | $11.31 |
| $20.00 | $22.62 |
| $50.00 | $56.54 |
| $100 | $113 |
| $500 | $565 |
| $1,000 | $1,131 |
| $5,000 | $5,654 |
| $10,000 | $11,308 |
| $100,000 | $113,077 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,130,769 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1933 spending costs in 1941, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1933 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.55% | $113 |
| Food | 2.93% | $126 |
| Apparel | 2.44% | $121 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1933: 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 1933 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | 13 | -5.1% | $100 |
| 1934 | 13.4 | 3.1% | $103 |
| 1935 | 13.7 | 2.2% | $105 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $107 |
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $111 |
| 1938 | 14.1 | -2.1% | $108 |
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $107 |
| 1940 | 14 | 0.7% | $108 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $113 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1933 to 1941: $100 is worth $113 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1933-to-1941/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1933 to 1941. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1933-to-1941/
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.