1939 dollars in today's money
| In 1939 | In September 2026 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $24.23 |
| $5.00 | $121.13 |
| $10.00 | $242.26 |
| $20.00 | $484.53 |
| $50.00 | $1,211 |
| $100.00 | $2,423 |
| $1,000 | $24,226 |
| $10,000 | $242,263 |
Inflation in 1939
Prices rose -1.3% in 1939 compared with 1938, 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 1939 was 13.908 (1982–84 = 100). Today's index is 336.940, which is where the multiplier of 24.23× comes from.
Buying power: today's money in 1939
Going the other way, $100 today would have bought what $4.13 bought in 1939.
1939 compared with nearby years
| Year | $1 is worth today | Inflation that year |
|---|---|---|
| 1934 | $25.18 | 3.5% |
| 1935 | $24.55 | 2.6% |
| 1936 | $24.30 | 1.0% |
| 1937 | $23.43 | 3.7% |
| 1938 | $23.91 | -2.0% |
| 1940 | $24.05 | 0.7% |
| 1941 | $22.88 | 5.1% |
| 1942 | $20.63 | 10.9% |
| 1943 | $19.47 | 6.0% |
| 1944 | $19.15 | 1.6% |
How this is calculated
Value today = amount × (CPI in September 2026 ÷ average CPI in 1939). 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.