1931 dollars in today's money
| In 1931 | In September 2026 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $22.16 |
| $5.00 | $110.78 |
| $10.00 | $221.55 |
| $20.00 | $443.11 |
| $50.00 | $1,108 |
| $100.00 | $2,216 |
| $1,000 | $22,155 |
| $10,000 | $221,554 |
Inflation in 1931
Prices rose -8.9% in 1931 compared with 1930, which means prices actually fell (deflation). That is below the long-run average of 3.2% a year since 1913.
In the 1930s, the highest yearly rate was 3.7% in 1937 and the lowest was -10.3% in 1932.
The average Consumer Price Index in 1931 was 15.208 (1982–84 = 100). Today's index is 336.940, which is where the multiplier of 22.16× comes from.
Buying power: today's money in 1931
Going the other way, $100 today would have bought what $4.51 bought in 1931.
1931 compared with nearby years
| Year | $1 is worth today | Inflation that year |
|---|---|---|
| 1926 | $19.04 | 0.9% |
| 1927 | $19.41 | -1.9% |
| 1928 | $19.64 | -1.2% |
| 1929 | $19.64 | 0.0% |
| 1930 | $20.18 | -2.7% |
| 1932 | $24.70 | -10.3% |
| 1933 | $26.05 | -5.2% |
| 1934 | $25.18 | 3.5% |
| 1935 | $24.55 | 2.6% |
| 1936 | $24.30 | 1.0% |
How this is calculated
Value today = amount × (CPI in September 2026 ÷ average CPI in 1931). The data is the CPI-U, all items, not seasonally adjusted, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Use the calculator above to convert between any two years.