U.S. inflation · 1938–2002
$100 in 1938 has the same buying power as
$1,276
in 2002
| Cumulative price change | 1175.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.06% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,276 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $1,176 |
| CPI in 1938 | 14.1 |
| CPI in 2002 | 179.9 |
| Inflation in 1938 | -2.08% |
| Inflation in 2002 | 1.58% |
| $100 in 1938 → 2002 | $1,276 |
| $100 in 2002 → 1938 | $7.84 |
Between 1938 and 2002, the Consumer Price Index went from 14.1 to 179.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 1175.9%, which works out to an average of 4.06% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1938 bought what $0.08 buys in 2002.
| Amount in 1938 | Value in 2002 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $12.76 |
| $5.00 | $63.79 |
| $10.00 | $128 |
| $20.00 | $255 |
| $50.00 | $638 |
| $100 | $1,276 |
| $500 | $6,379 |
| $1,000 | $12,759 |
| $5,000 | $63,794 |
| $10,000 | $127,589 |
| $100,000 | $1,275,887 |
| $1,000,000 | $12,758,865 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1938 spending costs in 2002, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1938 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.06% | $1,276 |
| Medical care | 5.33% | $2,773 |
| Food | 4.27% | $1,456 |
| Transportation | 3.74% | $1,047 |
| Apparel | 2.75% | $566 |
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 |
| 1943 | 17.3 | 6.1% | $123 |
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $171 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $189 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $205 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $217 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $247 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $315 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $462 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $706 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $839 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $1,025 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $1,156 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $1,276 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1938 to 2002: $100 is worth $1,276 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1938-to-2002/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1938 to 2002. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1938-to-2002/
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.