U.S. inflation · 1934–1942
$100 in 1934 has the same buying power as
$122
in 1942
| Cumulative price change | 21.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.48% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $122 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $21.64 |
| CPI in 1934 | 13.4 |
| CPI in 1942 | 16.3 |
| Inflation in 1934 | 3.08% |
| Inflation in 1942 | 10.88% |
| $100 in 1934 → 1942 | $122 |
| $100 in 1942 → 1934 | $82.21 |
Between 1934 and 1942, the Consumer Price Index went from 13.4 to 16.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 21.6%, which works out to an average of 2.48% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1934 bought what $0.82 buys in 1942.
| Amount in 1934 | Value in 1942 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.22 |
| $5.00 | $6.08 |
| $10.00 | $12.16 |
| $20.00 | $24.33 |
| $50.00 | $60.82 |
| $100 | $122 |
| $500 | $608 |
| $1,000 | $1,216 |
| $5,000 | $6,082 |
| $10,000 | $12,164 |
| $100,000 | $121,642 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,216,418 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1934 spending costs in 1942, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1934 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.48% | $122 |
| Food | 3.61% | $133 |
| Apparel | 3.30% | $130 |
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 |
| 1940 | 14 | 0.7% | $104 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $110 |
| 1942 | 16.3 | 10.9% | $122 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1934 to 1942: $100 is worth $122 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1934-to-1942/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1934 to 1942. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1934-to-1942/
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.