U.S. inflation · 1937–1939
$100 in 1937 has the same buying power as
$96.53
in 1939
| Cumulative price change | -3.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | -1.75% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $96.53 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | -$3.47 |
| CPI in 1937 | 14.4 |
| CPI in 1939 | 13.9 |
| Inflation in 1937 | 3.60% |
| Inflation in 1939 | -1.42% |
| $100 in 1937 → 1939 | $96.53 |
| $100 in 1939 → 1937 | $104 |
Between 1937 and 1939, the Consumer Price Index went from 14.4 to 13.9. Cumulatively, prices declined 3.5%, which works out to an average of -1.75% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1937 bought what $1.04 buys in 1939.
| Amount in 1937 | Value in 1939 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $0.97 |
| $5.00 | $4.83 |
| $10.00 | $9.65 |
| $20.00 | $19.31 |
| $50.00 | $48.26 |
| $100 | $96.53 |
| $500 | $483 |
| $1,000 | $965 |
| $5,000 | $4,826 |
| $10,000 | $9,653 |
| $100,000 | $96,528 |
| $1,000,000 | $965,278 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1937 spending costs in 1939, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1937 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | -1.75% | $96.53 |
| Medical care | 0.00% | $100 |
| Transportation | -0.69% | $98.62 |
| Apparel | -0.91% | $98.18 |
| Food | -5.09% | $90.08 |
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 |
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $96.53 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1937 to 1939: $100 is worth $96.53 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1937-to-1939/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1937 to 1939. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1937-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.