U.S. inflation · 1938–1940
$100 in 1938 has the same buying power as
$99.29
in 1940
| Cumulative price change | -0.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | -0.36% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $99.29 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | -$0.71 |
| CPI in 1938 | 14.1 |
| CPI in 1940 | 14 |
| Inflation in 1938 | -2.08% |
| Inflation in 1940 | 0.72% |
| $100 in 1938 → 1940 | $99.29 |
| $100 in 1940 → 1938 | $101 |
Between 1938 and 1940, the Consumer Price Index went from 14.1 to 14. Cumulatively, prices declined 0.7%, which works out to an average of -0.36% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1938 bought what $1.01 buys in 1940.
| Amount in 1938 | Value in 1940 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $0.99 |
| $5.00 | $4.96 |
| $10.00 | $9.93 |
| $20.00 | $19.86 |
| $50.00 | $49.65 |
| $100 | $99.29 |
| $500 | $496 |
| $1,000 | $993 |
| $5,000 | $4,965 |
| $10,000 | $9,929 |
| $100,000 | $99,291 |
| $1,000,000 | $992,908 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1938 spending costs in 1940, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1938 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | -0.36% | $99.29 |
| Medical care | 0.48% | $101 |
| Apparel | -0.23% | $99.54 |
| Food | -0.41% | $99.17 |
| Transportation | -1.38% | $97.26 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1938: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1938 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | 14.1 | -2.1% | $100 |
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $98.58 |
| 1940 | 14 | 0.7% | $99.29 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1938 to 1940: $100 is worth $99.29 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1938-to-1940/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1938 to 1940. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1938-to-1940/
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.