U.S. inflation · 1936–1998
$100 in 1936 has the same buying power as
$1,173
in 1998
| Cumulative price change | 1072.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.05% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,173 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $1,073 |
| CPI in 1936 | 13.9 |
| CPI in 1998 | 163 |
| Inflation in 1936 | 1.46% |
| Inflation in 1998 | 1.56% |
| $100 in 1936 → 1998 | $1,173 |
| $100 in 1998 → 1936 | $8.53 |
Between 1936 and 1998, the Consumer Price Index went from 13.9 to 163. Cumulatively, prices increased 1072.7%, which works out to an average of 4.05% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1936 bought what $0.09 buys in 1998.
| Amount in 1936 | Value in 1998 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $11.73 |
| $5.00 | $58.63 |
| $10.00 | $117 |
| $20.00 | $235 |
| $50.00 | $586 |
| $100 | $1,173 |
| $500 | $5,863 |
| $1,000 | $11,727 |
| $5,000 | $58,633 |
| $10,000 | $117,266 |
| $100,000 | $1,172,662 |
| $1,000,000 | $11,726,619 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1936 spending costs in 1998, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1936 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.05% | $1,173 |
| Medical care | 5.24% | $2,374 |
| Food | 4.19% | $1,275 |
| Transportation | 3.77% | $990 |
| Apparel | 3.02% | $633 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1936: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1936 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $100 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $106 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $140 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $187 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $196 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $215 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $233 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $291 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $409 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $654 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $788 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $980 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $1,129 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $1,173 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1936 to 1998: $100 is worth $1,173 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1936-to-1998/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1936 to 1998. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1936-to-1998/
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.