U.S. inflation · 1935–1966
$100 in 1935 has the same buying power as
$236
in 1966
| Cumulative price change | 136.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.82% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $236 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $136 |
| CPI in 1935 | 13.7 |
| CPI in 1966 | 32.4 |
| Inflation in 1935 | 2.24% |
| Inflation in 1966 | 2.86% |
| $100 in 1935 → 1966 | $236 |
| $100 in 1966 → 1935 | $42.28 |
Between 1935 and 1966, the Consumer Price Index went from 13.7 to 32.4. Cumulatively, prices increased 136.5%, which works out to an average of 2.82% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1935 bought what $0.42 buys in 1966.
| Amount in 1935 | Value in 1966 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.36 |
| $5.00 | $11.82 |
| $10.00 | $23.65 |
| $20.00 | $47.30 |
| $50.00 | $118 |
| $100 | $236 |
| $500 | $1,182 |
| $1,000 | $2,365 |
| $5,000 | $11,825 |
| $10,000 | $23,650 |
| $100,000 | $236,496 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,364,964 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1935 spending costs in 1966, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1935 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.82% | $236 |
| Food | 3.29% | $273 |
| Medical care | 3.10% | $258 |
| Apparel | 2.80% | $236 |
| Transportation | 2.69% | $227 |
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 |
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $105 |
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $101 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $107 |
| 1943 | 17.3 | 6.1% | $126 |
| 1945 | 18 | 2.3% | $131 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $163 |
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $174 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $190 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $195 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $196 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $205 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $212 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $218 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $223 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $230 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $236 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1935 to 1966: $100 is worth $236 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1935-to-1966/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1935 to 1966. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1935-to-1966/
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.