Philadelphia, Pennsylvania prices: $100 in 1938 $98.40 in 1939

Inflation in Pennsylvania

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Prices in Philadelphia, 1938-1939 ($100)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania were 1.60% lower in 1939 versus 1938 (a $1.60 difference in value).

Between 1938 and 1939: Philadelphia experienced an average inflation rate of -1.60% per year. In other words, $100 in Philadelphia in the year 1938 would cost $98.40 in 1939 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of -1.31% during this same period, inflation in Philadelphia was lower.

In the year 1938: Pricing changed by -2.08%, which is below the average yearly change in Philadelphia during the 1938-1939 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation in Philadelphia was lower.

Price Inflation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since 1914

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1919 (21.56%), 1918 (21.45%), and 1920 (16.49%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $100.00 since 1938

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Philadelphia, over time, for $100 beginning in 1938. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1938$100.00-2.08%
1939$98.40-1.60%
1940$98.510.12%
1941$103.384.94%
1942$115.0111.25%
1943$122.346.37%
1944$124.001.36%
1945$127.322.68%
1946$138.208.55%
1947$158.1314.42%
1948$170.687.93%
1949$168.67-1.17%
1950$169.700.61%
1951$185.409.25%
1952$188.951.92%
1953$189.860.48%
1954$191.811.03%
1955$191.41-0.21%
1956$194.041.38%
1957$200.293.22%
1958$204.241.97%
1959$206.531.12%
1960$210.191.77%
1961$212.541.12%
1962$214.430.89%
1963$218.271.79%
1964$221.711.57%
1965$225.141.55%
1966$231.622.87%
1967$237.922.72%
1968$249.314.79%
1969$262.545.31%
1970$280.186.72%
1971$293.874.89%
1972$302.002.77%
1973$322.346.73%
1974$360.6011.87%
1975$390.618.32%
1976$409.914.94%
1977$436.666.53%
1978$462.145.84%
1979$508.089.94%
1980$574.4013.05%
1981$632.8810.18%
1982$663.634.86%
1983$682.992.92%
1984$715.064.70%
1985$747.544.54%
1986$766.092.48%
1987$802.814.79%
1988$841.244.79%
1989$881.794.82%
1990$933.625.88%
1991$977.214.67%
1992$1,007.453.09%
1993$1,032.532.49%
1994$1,062.832.93%
1995$1,090.662.62%
1996$1,119.192.62%
1997$1,143.992.22%
1998$1,155.441.00%
1999$1,180.132.14%
2000$1,211.682.67%
2001$1,245.252.77%
2002$1,269.301.93%
2003$1,296.742.16%
2004$1,348.113.96%
2005$1,401.663.97%
2006$1,455.613.85%
2007$1,487.532.19%
2008$1,540.693.57%
2009$1,532.73-0.52%
2010$1,564.132.05%
2011$1,605.142.62%
2012$1,635.211.87%
2013$1,654.841.20%
2014$1,676.891.33%
2015$1,675.45-0.09%
2016$1,685.250.59%
2017$1,706.701.27%
2018$1,729.451.33%
2019$1,762.281.90%
2020$1,778.430.92%
2021$1,847.983.91%
2022$1,992.377.81%
2023$2,082.714.53%
2024$2,122.381.90%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.


Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:

Year191419151916191719181919192019211922192319241925192619271928192919301931193219331934193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI10.20010.20810.40811.80814.34217.43320.30818.61717.26717.54217.69218.27518.83318.56718.15817.80817.60816.22514.60013.37514.01714.23314.50814.85814.55014.31714.33315.04216.73317.80018.04218.52520.10823.00824.83324.54224.69226.97527.49227.62527.90827.85028.23329.14229.71730.05030.58330.92531.20031.75832.25832.75833.70034.61736.27538.20040.76742.75843.94246.90052.46756.83359.64263.53367.24273.92583.57592.08396.55899.375104.042108.767111.467116.808122.400128.300135.842142.183146.583150.233154.642158.692162.842166.450168.117171.708176.300181.183184.683188.675196.150203.942211.792216.435224.170223.013227.581233.547237.923240.780243.987243.778245.204248.325251.635256.411258.761268.882289.890303.034308.807

Adjust Philadelphia prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 1939 / CPI in 1938 * 1938 USD value = 1939 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was 14.550 in the year 1938 and 14.317 in 1939:

14.317 / 14.550 * $100 = $98.40

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $100 in 1938 has the same "purchasing power" as $98.40 in 1939 (in the CPI category of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1914. In addition to Philadelphia, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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