$1 in 1920 had the same buying power as $16.81 in September 2026. Prices are 1,581% higher than in 1920, an average of 2.7% a year, based on the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
A dollar in September 2026 buys what 6 cents bought in 1920.
Convert any amount from 1920 in the Inflation Calculator
1920 dollars in today's money
| In 1920 | In September 2026 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $16.81 |
| $5.00 | $84.06 |
| $10.00 | $168.12 |
| $20.00 | $336.23 |
| $50.00 | $840.58 |
| $100.00 | $1,681 |
| $500.00 | $8,406 |
| $1,000 | $16,812 |
| $10,000 | $168,117 |
What $100 from 1920 cost in the years since
Annual averages of CPI-U; 2026 uses September 2026. Source: BLS via FRED.
Inflation in 1920
Prices rose 15.6% in 1920, comparing its average CPI-U with 1919's. That ranks 3rd of the 112 years since 1914, from the highest inflation to the lowest.
| Year | Inflation |
|---|---|
| 1918 | 17.3% |
| 1919 | 15.2% |
| 1920 | 15.6% |
| 1921 | -10.9% |
| 1922 | -6.2% |
What $100 from 1920 was worth over the years
| Year | $100 from 1920 is worth |
|---|---|
| 1930 | $83 |
| 1940 | $70 |
| 1950 | $120 |
| 1960 | $148 |
| 1970 | $194 |
| 1980 | $411 |
| 1990 | $652 |
| 2000 | $859 |
| 2010 | $1,088 |
| 2020 | $1,291 |
| 2025 | $1,606 |
| September 2026 | $1,681 |
How this is calculated
Divide today's price index by the index for 1920, then multiply by the amount:
$100 × (336.94 ÷ 20.042) = $1,681.17
1920's index is the average of its monthly CPI-U values; today's is the latest month, September 2026. Other calculators can differ slightly if they use a different month or index. More in our methodology.
Data: CPI-U through September 2026. Next BLS release: November 10, 2026. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED.