1938 dollars in today's money
| In 1938 | In September 2026 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $23.91 |
| $5.00 | $119.55 |
| $10.00 | $239.10 |
| $20.00 | $478.20 |
| $50.00 | $1,196 |
| $100.00 | $2,391 |
| $1,000 | $23,910 |
| $10,000 | $239,100 |
Inflation in 1938
Prices rose -2.0% in 1938 compared with 1937, 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 1938 was 14.092 (1982–84 = 100). Today's index is 336.940, which is where the multiplier of 23.91× comes from.
Buying power: today's money in 1938
Going the other way, $100 today would have bought what $4.18 bought in 1938.
1938 compared with nearby years
| Year | $1 is worth today | Inflation that year |
|---|---|---|
| 1933 | $26.05 | -5.2% |
| 1934 | $25.18 | 3.5% |
| 1935 | $24.55 | 2.6% |
| 1936 | $24.30 | 1.0% |
| 1937 | $23.43 | 3.7% |
| 1939 | $24.23 | -1.3% |
| 1940 | $24.05 | 0.7% |
| 1941 | $22.88 | 5.1% |
| 1942 | $20.63 | 10.9% |
| 1943 | $19.47 | 6.0% |
How this is calculated
Value today = amount × (CPI in September 2026 ÷ average CPI in 1938). 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.