$100 in 1920 is worth $1,674.90 in August 2026 dollars. Prices are 1,574.9% higher than they were in 1920, an average inflation rate of 2.69% a year over roughly 106 years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.
Inflation in 1920
The average CPI-U in 1920 was 20.0, up from 17.3 in 1919 — an annual inflation rate of 15.6%.
1920 was a year of double-digit inflation.
That rate was higher than in 109 of the 112 years from 1914 to 2025, and above the long-run average of 3.16% a year.
Average prices had doubled from their 1920 level by 1971, 51 years later.
Value of $100 from 1920 over time
1920 dollars in today’s dollars
| 1920 dollars | August 2026 dollars |
|---|---|
| $1 | $16.75 |
| $5 | $83.75 |
| $10 | $167.49 |
| $20 | $334.98 |
| $50 | $837.45 |
| $100 | $1,674.90 |
| $500 | $8,374.50 |
| $1,000 | $16,749.00 |
| $5,000 | $83,745.00 |
| $10,000 | $167,490.00 |
| $50,000 | $837,450.00 |
| $100,000 | $1,674,900.00 |
Buying power of $100 from 1920, year by year
| Year | Avg CPI-U | Inflation that year | Equivalent of $100 from 1920 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 20.0 | 15.6% | $100.00 |
| 1921 | 17.9 | -10.5% | $89.50 |
| 1922 | 16.8 | -6.1% | $84.00 |
| 1923 | 17.1 | 1.8% | $85.50 |
| 1924 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $85.50 |
| 1925 | 17.5 | 2.3% | $87.50 |
| 1926 | 17.7 | 1.1% | $88.50 |
| 1927 | 17.4 | -1.7% | $87.00 |
| 1928 | 17.1 | -1.7% | $85.50 |
| 1929 | 17.1 | 0.0% | $85.50 |
| 1930 | 16.7 | -2.3% | $83.50 |
| 1931 | 15.2 | -9.0% | $76.00 |
| 1932 | 13.7 | -9.9% | $68.50 |
| 1933 | 13.0 | -5.1% | $65.00 |
| 1934 | 13.4 | 3.1% | $67.00 |
| 1935 | 13.7 | 2.2% | $68.50 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $69.50 |
| 1937 | 14.4 | 3.6% | $72.00 |
| 1938 | 14.1 | -2.1% | $70.50 |
| 1939 | 13.9 | -1.4% | $69.50 |
| 1940 | 14.0 | 0.7% | $70.00 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $73.50 |
| 1942 | 16.3 | 10.9% | $81.50 |
| 1943 | 17.3 | 6.1% | $86.50 |
| 1944 | 17.6 | 1.7% | $88.00 |
| 1945 | 18.0 | 2.3% | $90.00 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $97.50 |
| 1947 | 22.3 | 14.4% | $111.50 |
| 1948 | 24.1 | 8.1% | $120.50 |
| 1949 | 23.8 | -1.2% | $119.00 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1.3% | $120.50 |
| 1951 | 26.0 | 7.9% | $130.00 |
| 1952 | 26.5 | 1.9% | $132.50 |
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $133.50 |
| 1954 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $134.50 |
| 1955 | 26.8 | -0.4% | $134.00 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $136.00 |
| 1957 | 28.1 | 3.3% | $140.50 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $144.50 |
| 1959 | 29.1 | 0.7% | $145.50 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $148.00 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $149.50 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $151.00 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $153.00 |
| 1964 | 31.0 | 1.3% | $155.00 |
| 1965 | 31.5 | 1.6% | $157.50 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $162.00 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $167.00 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $174.00 |
| 1969 | 36.7 | 5.5% | $183.50 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $194.00 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $202.50 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $209.00 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $222.00 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $246.50 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 9.1% | $269.00 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $284.50 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $303.00 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $326.00 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $363.00 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $412.00 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $454.50 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $482.50 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $498.00 |
| 1984 | 103.900 | 4.3% | $519.50 |
| 1985 | 107.600 | 3.6% | $538.00 |
| 1986 | 109.600 | 1.9% | $548.00 |
| 1987 | 113.600 | 3.6% | $568.00 |
| 1988 | 118.300 | 4.1% | $591.50 |
| 1989 | 124.000 | 4.8% | $620.00 |
| 1990 | 130.700 | 5.4% | $653.50 |
| 1991 | 136.200 | 4.2% | $681.00 |
| 1992 | 140.300 | 3.0% | $701.50 |
| 1993 | 144.500 | 3.0% | $722.50 |
| 1994 | 148.200 | 2.6% | $741.00 |
| 1995 | 152.400 | 2.8% | $762.00 |
| 1996 | 156.900 | 3.0% | $784.50 |
| 1997 | 160.500 | 2.3% | $802.50 |
| 1998 | 163.000 | 1.6% | $815.00 |
| 1999 | 166.600 | 2.2% | $833.00 |
| 2000 | 172.200 | 3.4% | $861.00 |
| 2001 | 177.100 | 2.8% | $885.50 |
| 2002 | 179.900 | 1.6% | $899.50 |
| 2003 | 184.000 | 2.3% | $920.00 |
| 2004 | 188.900 | 2.7% | $944.50 |
| 2005 | 195.300 | 3.4% | $976.50 |
| 2006 | 201.600 | 3.2% | $1,008.00 |
| 2007 | 207.342 | 2.8% | $1,036.71 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $1,076.52 |
| 2009 | 214.537 | -0.4% | $1,072.69 |
| 2010 | 218.056 | 1.6% | $1,090.28 |
| 2011 | 224.939 | 3.2% | $1,124.70 |
| 2012 | 229.594 | 2.1% | $1,147.97 |
| 2013 | 232.957 | 1.5% | $1,164.79 |
| 2014 | 236.736 | 1.6% | $1,183.68 |
| 2015 | 237.017 | 0.1% | $1,185.09 |
| 2016 | 240.007 | 1.3% | $1,200.04 |
| 2017 | 245.120 | 2.1% | $1,225.60 |
| 2018 | 251.107 | 2.4% | $1,255.54 |
| 2019 | 255.657 | 1.8% | $1,278.29 |
| 2020 | 258.811 | 1.2% | $1,294.06 |
| 2021 | 270.970 | 4.7% | $1,354.85 |
| 2022 | 292.655 | 8.0% | $1,463.28 |
| 2023 | 304.702 | 4.1% | $1,523.51 |
| 2024 | 313.689 | 2.9% | $1,568.45 |
| 2025 | 321.943 | 2.6% | $1,609.72 |
| August 2026 | 334.980 | — | $1,674.90 |
How this is calculated
Value today = amount × (latest CPI-U ÷ 1920 average CPI-U). For $100: 100 × (334.980 ÷ 20.0) = $1,674.90. The average annual rate is the compound rate that turns 1920 prices into today’s over the elapsed time, measured from mid-1920 because an annual average describes the middle of the year. CPI-U tracks a broad basket of urban consumer spending; the prices of specific items such as housing, tuition or food have moved by different amounts.
Reverse: $100.00 today had the same buying power as $5.97 in 1920.
Other years
1915 dollars today · 1918 dollars today · 1919 dollars today · 1921 dollars today · 1922 dollars today · 1925 dollars today · 1930 dollars today · Inflation calculator (any two years)
