When did prices double after 1933?
By May 1951, prices were twice their 1933 average (CPI-U 12.9 → 25.9), 18 years later. They had tripled by June 1970.
What $1 from 1933 is worth today
$1 in 1933 = $26.05 in September 2026
$1 from 1933$26.05in September 2026 dollars
Prices since 1933+2505%CPI 12.9 → 336.9
Average a year3.56%compounded since 1933
Inflation in 19330.8%December to December
Worth in September 2026$2,605.21
Prices changed2505.2%
Average a year3.56%
$100.00 in 1933 buys what $2,605.21 buys in September 2026.$100.00 × CPI 336.940 ÷ CPI 12.933 · a whole year uses its average CPI
BLS CPI-U, U.S. city average, not seasonally adjusted, through September 2026 (3.7% over 12 months). Source
1933 dollars in September 2026 dollars
| In 1933 | In September 2026 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $26.05 |
| $5.00 | $130.26 |
| $10.00 | $260.52 |
| $20.00 | $521.04 |
| $50.00 | $1,303 |
| $100.00 | $2,605 |
| $500.00 | $13,026 |
| $1,000 | $26,052 |
| $10,000 | $260,521 |
| $50,000 | $1,302,603 |
| $100,000 | $2,605,206 |
$100 from 1933, decade by decade
| Year | Worth | Average CPI |
|---|---|---|
| 1943 | $133.83 | 17.3 |
| 1953 | $206.96 | 26.8 |
| 1963 | $236.79 | 30.6 |
| 1973 | $343.30 | 44.4 |
| 1983 | $770.10 | 99.6 |
| 1993 | $1,117 | 144.5 |
| 2003 | $1,422 | 184.0 |
| 2013 | $1,801 | 233.0 |
| 2023 | $2,356 | 304.7 |
| September 2026 | $2,605 | 336.9 |
1933 in the inflation record
- Prices rose 0.8% in 1933 (December to December), below the 3.3% average of every year since 1914: #90 of 112 from highest to lowest.
- The 1930s averaged -1.9% a year; the decade’s highest was 1935 at 3.0%.
- Prices first stood at twice their 1933 level in May 1951, and three times in June 1970.
- A dollar today buys what 3.8¢ bought in 1933.
CPI-U each month of 1933
| Month | CPI-U |
|---|---|
| January | 12.900 |
| February | 12.700 |
| March | 12.600 |
| April | 12.600 |
| May | 12.600 |
| June | 12.700 |
| July | 13.100 |
| August | 13.200 |
| September | 13.200 |
| October | 13.200 |
| November | 13.200 |
| December | 13.200 |
| Year average | 12.933 |
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U, U.S. city average, all items, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84 = 100). Source
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1933 worth today?
$26.05 in September 2026. Prices have risen 2505.2% since 1933, using the 1933 average CPI-U of 12.933 and the September 2026 CPI-U of 336.940 from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What was the inflation rate in 1933?
Prices rose 0.8% from December 1932 to December 1933 (CPI-U, not seasonally adjusted).
What is the average inflation rate since 1933?
3.56% a year, compounded, from 1933 to September 2026. At that rate prices double about every 20 years.
How much is $100 from 1933 worth today?
$2,605. Multiply any 1933 amount by 26.052 to get today’s money.