Prices are now 16.7x higher than in 1920
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, something that cost $100 in 1920 costs about $1,674.90 today. The inflation rate in 1920 was 15.6%, and total inflation from 1920 to August 2026 was 1,575%.
The S&P 500 index started 1920 at 8.83. With dividends reinvested, $100 invested in the S&P 500 in 1920 would have grown to about $4,632,089.54 by 2026, before adjusting for inflation.
Some costs rose much faster than others. Compared with overall inflation, rent rose the most since 1920 (1% more than inflation), and clothing rose the least (81% less).
| All prices, on average | $1,674.90 |
| Food | $1,660.53 |
| Rent | $1,689.24 |
| Electricity | $721.31 |
| Clothing | $311.82 |
Cost of living in 1920 by category
The Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing average prices for individual items in 1980. For 1920, these comparisons use the consumer price index for each spending category: each row shows what something that cost $100 in 1920 costs in August 2026, and how that compares with overall inflation of 1,575%.
Food & drink
| Category | $100 in 1920 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $100 in 1920 today$1,660.53 | Compared with inflation1% less than inflation |
Housing & energy
| Category | $100 in 1920 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $100 in 1920 today$1,689.24 | Compared with inflation1% more than inflation |
| Electricity | $100 in 1920 today$721.31 | Compared with inflation57% less than inflation |
Other costs
| Category | $100 in 1920 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | $100 in 1920 today$311.82 | Compared with inflation81% less than inflation |
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1920 worth today?
$1 in 1920 has about the same buying power as $16.75 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.
What was the inflation rate in 1920?
The U.S. inflation rate in 1920 was 15.6%, measured as the change in the consumer price index from 1919 to 1920.
Which costs rose the most since 1920?
Of the spending categories tracked since 1920, rent rose the most relative to overall inflation: something that cost $100 in 1920 costs about $1689.24 today. Clothing rose the least, to about $311.82.
Where these numbers come from
Category comparisons use the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index for each category, from the 1920 annual average to August 2026. Overall inflation uses the same consumer price index as our 1920 inflation calculator. S&P 500 values are from Robert Shiller's historical stock market data.
Prices in other years
- 1914
- 1915
- 1916
- 1917
- 1918
- 1919
- 1920
- 1921
- 1922
- 1923
- 1924
- 1925
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- 1953
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- 1980
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- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
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- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
| All prices, on average | $1,674.90 |
| Food | $1,660.53 |
| Rent | $1,689.24 |
| Electricity | $721.31 |
| Clothing | $311.82 |