U.S. inflation · 1938–1941
$100 in 1938 has the same buying power as
$104
in 1941
| Cumulative price change | 4.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.40% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $104 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $4.26 |
| CPI in 1938 | 14.1 |
| CPI in 1941 | 14.7 |
| Inflation in 1938 | -2.08% |
| Inflation in 1941 | 5.00% |
| $100 in 1938 → 1941 | $104 |
| $100 in 1941 → 1938 | $95.92 |
Between 1938 and 1941, the Consumer Price Index went from 14.1 to 14.7. Cumulatively, prices increased 4.3%, which works out to an average of 1.40% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1938 bought what $0.96 buys in 1941.
| Amount in 1938 | Value in 1941 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.04 |
| $5.00 | $5.21 |
| $10.00 | $10.43 |
| $20.00 | $20.85 |
| $50.00 | $52.13 |
| $100 | $104 |
| $500 | $521 |
| $1,000 | $1,043 |
| $5,000 | $5,213 |
| $10,000 | $10,426 |
| $100,000 | $104,255 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,042,553 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1938 spending costs in 1941, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1938 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.40% | $104 |
| Food | 2.68% | $108 |
| Apparel | 1.35% | $104 |
| Medical care | 0.32% | $101 |
| Transportation | 0.23% | $101 |
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 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $104 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1938 to 1941: $100 is worth $104 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1938-to-1941/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1938 to 1941. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1938-to-1941/
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.