U.S. inflation · 1935–1939
$100 in 1935 has the same buying power as
$101
in 1939
| Cumulative price change | 1.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 0.36% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $101 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $1.46 |
| CPI in 1935 | 13.7 |
| CPI in 1939 | 13.9 |
| Inflation in 1935 | 2.24% |
| Inflation in 1939 | -1.42% |
| $100 in 1935 → 1939 | $101 |
| $100 in 1939 → 1935 | $98.56 |
Between 1935 and 1939, the Consumer Price Index went from 13.7 to 13.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 1.5%, which works out to an average of 0.36% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1935 bought what $0.99 buys in 1939.
| Amount in 1935 | Value in 1939 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.01 |
| $5.00 | $5.07 |
| $10.00 | $10.15 |
| $20.00 | $20.29 |
| $50.00 | $50.73 |
| $100 | $101 |
| $500 | $507 |
| $1,000 | $1,015 |
| $5,000 | $5,073 |
| $10,000 | $10,146 |
| $100,000 | $101,460 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,014,599 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1935 spending costs in 1939, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1935 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 0.36% | $101 |
| Apparel | 0.95% | $104 |
| Medical care | 0.24% | $101 |
| Transportation | 0.18% | $101 |
| Food | -1.23% | $95.16 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1935: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1935 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1935 to 1939: $100 is worth $101 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1935-to-1939/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1935 to 1939. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1935-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.