Value of $100 from 1790 to 1910

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index, prices in 1910 are 3.26% higher than average prices since 1790. The U.S. dollar experienced an average inflation rate of 0.03% per year during this period, causing the real value of a dollar to decrease.

In other words, $100 in 1790 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $103.26 in 1910, a difference of $3.26 over 120 years.

The 1790 inflation rate was 4.55%. The inflation rate in 1910 was 4.40%. The 1910 inflation rate is higher compared to the average inflation rate of 3.05% per year between 1910 and 2020.

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Inflation from 1790 to 1910 Cumulative price change 3.26% Average inflation rate 0.03% Converted amount ($100 base) $103.26 Price difference ($100 base) $3.26 CPI in 1790 9.200 CPI in 1910 9.500 Inflation in 1790 4.55% Inflation in 1910 4.40%

USD Inflation since 1635 Annual Rate, the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Download

Buying power of $100 in 1790 This chart shows a calculation of buying power equivalence for $100 in 1790 (price index tracking began in 1635). For example, if you started with $100, you would need to end with $103.26 in order to "adjust" for inflation (sometimes refered to as "beating inflation"). Download When $100 is equivalent to $103.26 over time, that means that the "real value" of a single U.S. dollar decreases over time. In other words, a dollar will pay for fewer items at the store. This effect explains how inflation erodes the value of a dollar over time. By calculating the value in 1790 dollars, the chart below shows how $100 is worth less over 120 years. Download According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, each of these USD amounts below is equal in terms of what it could buy at the time: Dollar inflation: 1790-1910 Year Dollar Value Inflation Rate 1790 $100.00 4.55% 1791 $102.17 2.17% 1792 $104.35 2.13% 1793 $107.61 3.13% 1794 $119.57 11.11% 1795 $136.96 14.55% 1796 $143.48 4.76% 1797 $138.04 -3.79% 1798 $133.70 -3.15% 1799 $133.70 0.00% 1800 $136.96 2.44% 1801 $138.04 0.79% 1802 $116.30 -15.75% 1803 $122.83 5.61% 1804 $128.26 4.42% 1805 $127.17 -0.85% 1806 $132.61 4.27% 1807 $126.09 -4.92% 1808 $136.96 8.62% 1809 $133.70 -2.38% 1810 $133.70 0.00% 1811 $142.39 6.50% 1812 $144.57 1.53% 1813 $173.91 20.30% 1814 $191.30 10.00% 1815 $167.39 -12.50% 1816 $153.26 -8.44% 1817 $144.57 -5.67% 1818 $138.04 -4.51% 1819 $138.04 0.00% 1820 $127.17 -7.87% 1821 $122.83 -3.42% 1822 $127.17 3.54% 1823 $114.13 -10.26% 1824 $105.43 -7.62% 1825 $107.61 2.06% 1826 $107.61 0.00% 1827 $108.70 1.01% 1828 $103.26 -5.00% 1829 $101.09 -2.11% 1830 $100.00 -1.08% 1831 $94.57 -5.43% 1832 $93.48 -1.15% 1833 $91.30 -2.33% 1834 $93.48 2.38% 1835 $95.65 2.33% 1836 $101.09 5.68% 1837 $104.35 3.23% 1838 $101.09 -3.12% 1839 $101.09 0.00% 1840 $94.57 -6.45% 1841 $94.57 0.00% 1842 $89.13 -5.75% 1843 $80.43 -9.76% 1844 $81.52 1.35% 1845 $82.61 1.33% 1846 $83.70 1.32% 1847 $89.13 6.49% 1848 $85.87 -3.66% 1849 $83.70 -2.53% 1850 $84.78 1.30% 1851 $83.70 -1.28% 1852 $83.70 0.00% 1853 $83.70 0.00% 1854 $91.30 9.09% 1855 $94.57 3.57% 1856 $92.39 -2.30% 1857 $94.57 2.35% 1858 $89.13 -5.75% 1859 $90.22 1.22% 1860 $90.22 0.00% 1861 $95.65 6.02% 1862 $109.78 14.77% 1863 $136.96 24.75% 1864 $170.65 24.60% 1865 $177.17 3.82% 1866 $172.83 -2.45% 1867 $160.87 -6.92% 1868 $154.35 -4.05% 1869 $147.83 -4.23% 1870 $142.39 -3.68% 1871 $132.61 -6.87% 1872 $132.61 0.00% 1873 $130.43 -1.64% 1874 $123.91 -5.00% 1875 $119.57 -3.51% 1876 $116.30 -2.73% 1877 $114.13 -1.87% 1878 $108.70 -4.76% 1879 $108.70 0.00% 1880 $110.87 2.00% 1881 $110.87 0.00% 1882 $110.87 0.00% 1883 $109.78 -0.98% 1884 $106.52 -2.97% 1885 $105.43 -1.02% 1886 $102.17 -3.09% 1887 $103.26 1.06% 1888 $103.26 0.00% 1889 $100.00 -3.16% 1890 $98.91 -1.09% 1891 $98.91 0.00% 1892 $98.91 0.00% 1893 $97.83 -1.10% 1894 $93.48 -4.44% 1895 $91.30 -2.33% 1896 $91.30 0.00% 1897 $90.22 -1.19% 1898 $90.22 0.00% 1899 $90.22 0.00% 1900 $91.30 1.20% 1901 $92.39 1.19% 1902 $93.48 1.18% 1903 $95.65 2.33% 1904 $96.74 1.14% 1905 $95.65 -1.12% 1906 $97.83 2.27% 1907 $102.17 4.44% 1908 $100.00 -2.13% 1909 $98.91 -1.09% 1910 $103.26 4.40% 1911 $103.26 0.00% 1912 $105.43 2.11% 1913 $107.61 2.06% 1914 $108.70 1.01% 1915 $109.78 1.00% 1916 $118.48 7.92% 1917 $139.13 17.43% 1918 $164.13 17.97% 1919 $188.04 14.57% 1920 $217.39 15.61% 1921 $194.57 -10.50% 1922 $182.61 -6.15% 1923 $185.87 1.79% 1924 $185.87 0.00% 1925 $190.22 2.34% 1926 $192.39 1.14% 1927 $189.13 -1.69% 1928 $185.87 -1.72% 1929 $185.87 0.00% 1930 $181.52 -2.34% 1931 $165.22 -8.98% 1932 $148.91 -9.87% 1933 $141.30 -5.11% 1934 $145.65 3.08% 1935 $148.91 2.24% 1936 $151.09 1.46% 1937 $156.52 3.60% 1938 $153.26 -2.08% 1939 $151.09 -1.42% 1940 $152.17 0.72% 1941 $159.78 5.00% 1942 $177.17 10.88% 1943 $188.04 6.13% 1944 $191.30 1.73% 1945 $195.65 2.27% 1946 $211.96 8.33% 1947 $242.39 14.36% 1948 $261.96 8.07% 1949 $258.70 -1.24% 1950 $261.96 1.26% 1951 $282.61 7.88% 1952 $288.04 1.92% 1953 $290.22 0.75% 1954 $292.39 0.75% 1955 $291.30 -0.37% 1956 $295.65 1.49% 1957 $305.43 3.31% 1958 $314.13 2.85% 1959 $316.30 0.69% 1960 $321.74 1.72% 1961 $325.00 1.01% 1962 $328.26 1.00% 1963 $332.61 1.32% 1964 $336.96 1.31% 1965 $342.39 1.61% 1966 $352.17 2.86% 1967 $363.04 3.09% 1968 $378.26 4.19% 1969 $398.91 5.46% 1970 $421.74 5.72% 1971 $440.22 4.38% 1972 $454.35 3.21% 1973 $482.61 6.22% 1974 $535.87 11.04% 1975 $584.78 9.13% 1976 $618.48 5.76% 1977 $658.70 6.50% 1978 $708.70 7.59% 1979 $789.13 11.35% 1980 $895.65 13.50% 1981 $988.04 10.32% 1982 $1,048.91 6.16% 1983 $1,082.61 3.21% 1984 $1,129.35 4.32% 1985 $1,169.57 3.56% 1986 $1,191.30 1.86% 1987 $1,234.78 3.65% 1988 $1,285.87 4.14% 1989 $1,347.83 4.82% 1990 $1,420.65 5.40% 1991 $1,480.43 4.21% 1992 $1,525.00 3.01% 1993 $1,570.65 2.99% 1994 $1,610.87 2.56% 1995 $1,656.52 2.83% 1996 $1,705.43 2.95% 1997 $1,744.57 2.29% 1998 $1,771.74 1.56% 1999 $1,810.87 2.21% 2000 $1,871.74 3.36% 2001 $1,925.00 2.85% 2002 $1,955.43 1.58% 2003 $2,000.00 2.28% 2004 $2,053.26 2.66% 2005 $2,122.83 3.39% 2006 $2,191.30 3.23% 2007 $2,253.72 2.85% 2008 $2,340.25 3.84% 2009 $2,331.92 -0.36% 2010 $2,370.17 1.64% 2011 $2,444.99 3.16% 2012 $2,495.59 2.07% 2013 $2,532.14 1.46% 2014 $2,573.22 1.62% 2015 $2,576.27 0.12% 2016 $2,608.77 1.26% 2017 $2,664.35 2.13% 2018 $2,730.76 2.49% 2019 $2,778.89 1.76% 2020 $2,825.20 1.67%* * Compared to previous annual rate. Not final. See * Compared to previous annual rate. Not final. See inflation summary for latest 12-month trailing value. Click to show 114 more rows Download as CSV/Excel This conversion table shows various other 1790 amounts in 1910 dollars, based on the 3.26% change in prices: Conversion Table: Value of a dollar in 1910 Initial value Equivalent value $1 dollar in 1790 $1.03 dollars in 1910 $5 dollars in 1790 $5.16 dollars in 1910 $10 dollars in 1790 $10.33 dollars in 1910 $50 dollars in 1790 $51.63 dollars in 1910 $100 dollars in 1790 $103.26 dollars in 1910 $500 dollars in 1790 $516.30 dollars in 1910 $1,000 dollars in 1790 $1,032.61 dollars in 1910 $5,000 dollars in 1790 $5,163.04 dollars in 1910 $10,000 dollars in 1790 $10,326.09 dollars in 1910 $50,000 dollars in 1790 $51,630.43 dollars in 1910 $100,000 dollars in 1790 $103,260.87 dollars in 1910 $500,000 dollars in 1790 $516,304.35 dollars in 1910 $1,000,000 dollars in 1790 $1,032,608.70 dollars in 1910

Inflation by Country Inflation can also vary widely by country. For comparison, in the UK £100.00 in 1790 would be equivalent to £128.00 in 1910, an absolute change of £28.00 and a cumulative change of 28.00%. Compare these numbers to the US's overall absolute change of $3.26 and total percent change of 3.26%.

Inflation by Spending Category CPI is the weighted combination of many categories of spending that are tracked by the government. Breaking down these categories helps explain the main drivers behind price changes. This chart shows the average rate of inflation for select CPI categories between 1790 and 1910. Compare these values to the overall average of 0.03% per year: Category Avg Inflation (%) Total Inflation (%) $100 in 1790 → 1910 Food and beverages 0.00 0.00 100.00 Housing 0.00 0.00 100.00 Apparel 0.00 0.00 100.00 Transportation 0.00 0.00 100.00 Medical care 0.00 0.00 100.00 Recreation 0.00 0.00 100.00 Education and communication 0.00 0.00 100.00 Other goods and services 0.00 0.00 100.00 The graph below compares inflation in categories of goods over time. Click on a category such as "Food" to toggle it on or off: For all these visualizations, it's important to note that not all categories may have been tracked since 1790. This table and charts use the earliest available data for each category.

How to Calculate Inflation Rate for $100, 1790 to 1910 Our calculations use the following inflation rate formula to calculate the change in value between 1790 and 1910: CPI in 1910 CPI in 1790 × 1790 USD value = 1910 USD value Then plug in historical CPI values. The U.S. CPI was 9.2 in the year 1790 and 9.5 in 1910: 9.5 9.2 × $100 = $103.26 $100 in 1790 has the same "purchasing power" or "buying power" as $103.26 in 1910. To get the total inflation rate for the 120 years between 1790 and 1910, we use the following formula: CPI in 1910 - CPI in 1790 CPI in 1790 × 100 = Cumulative inflation rate (120 years) Plugging in the values to this equation, we get: 9.5 - 9.2 9.2 × 100 = 3%

News headlines from 1790 Politics and news often influence economic performance. Here's what was happening at the time: George Washington, delivers his first State of the Union address as president.

The Swedish navy capture a third of the Russian fleet in the Second Battle of Svensksund.

Columbia Rediviva, returns to Boston, having become the first American ship to circumnavigate the world.

Turkish fortress of Izmail, thought to be impenetrable, is captured by the Russians under the command of Suvorov.

Data Source & Citation

Raw data for these calculations comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index (CPI), established in 1913. Inflation data from 1665 to 1912 is sourced from a historical study conducted by political science professor Robert Sahr at Oregon State University.

You may use the following MLA citation for this page: “$100 in 1790 → 1910 | Inflation Calculator.” Official Inflation Data, Alioth Finance, 23 Sep. 2020, https://www.officialdata.org/1790-dollars-in-1910?amount=100.

Special thanks to QuickChart for their chart image API, which is used for chart downloads.

in2013dollars.com is a reference website maintained by the Official Data Foundation.