U.S. inflation · 1934–1939
$100 in 1934 has the same buying power as
$104
in 1939
| Cumulative price change | 3.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 0.74% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $104 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $3.73 |
| CPI in 1934 | 13.4 |
| CPI in 1939 | 13.9 |
| Inflation in 1934 | 3.08% |
| Inflation in 1939 | -1.42% |
| $100 in 1934 → 1939 | $104 |
| $100 in 1939 → 1934 | $96.40 |
Between 1934 and 1939, the Consumer Price Index went from 13.4 to 13.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 3.7%, which works out to an average of 0.74% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1934 bought what $0.96 buys in 1939.
| Amount in 1934 | Value in 1939 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.04 |
| $5.00 | $5.19 |
| $10.00 | $10.37 |
| $20.00 | $20.75 |
| $50.00 | $51.87 |
| $100 | $104 |
| $500 | $519 |
| $1,000 | $1,037 |
| $5,000 | $5,187 |
| $10,000 | $10,373 |
| $100,000 | $103,731 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,037,313 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1934 spending costs in 1939, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1934 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 0.74% | $104 |
| Apparel | 0.95% | $105 |
| Food | 0.34% | $102 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1934: 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 1934 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | 13.4 | 3.1% | $100 |
| 1935 | 13.7 | 2.2% | $102 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $104 |
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $107 |
| 1938 | 14.1 | -2.1% | $105 |
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $104 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1934 to 1939: $100 is worth $104 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1934-to-1939/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1934 to 1939. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1934-to-1939/
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.