U.S. inflation · 1937–1938
$100 in 1937 has the same buying power as
$97.92
in 1938
| Cumulative price change | -2.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | -2.08% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $97.92 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | -$2.08 |
| CPI in 1937 | 14.4 |
| CPI in 1938 | 14.1 |
| Inflation in 1937 | 3.60% |
| Inflation in 1938 | -2.08% |
| $100 in 1937 → 1938 | $97.92 |
| $100 in 1938 → 1937 | $102 |
Between 1937 and 1938, the Consumer Price Index went from 14.4 to 14.1. Cumulatively, prices declined 2.1%, which works out to an average of -2.08% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1937 bought what $1.02 buys in 1938.
| Amount in 1937 | Value in 1938 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $0.98 |
| $5.00 | $4.90 |
| $10.00 | $9.79 |
| $20.00 | $19.58 |
| $50.00 | $48.96 |
| $100 | $97.92 |
| $500 | $490 |
| $1,000 | $979 |
| $5,000 | $4,896 |
| $10,000 | $9,792 |
| $100,000 | $97,917 |
| $1,000,000 | $979,167 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1937 spending costs in 1938, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1937 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | -2.08% | $97.92 |
| Transportation | 0.69% | $101 |
| Medical care | 0.00% | $100 |
| Apparel | -0.45% | $99.55 |
| Food | -7.63% | $92.37 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1937: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1937 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $100 |
| 1938 | 14.1 | -2.1% | $97.92 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1937 to 1938: $100 is worth $97.92 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1937-to-1938/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1937 to 1938. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1937-to-1938/
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.