Value of $1 from 1920 to 1951
$1 in 1920 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $1.21 in 1951, an increase of $0.21 over 31 years. The dollar had an average inflation rate of 0.63% per year between 1920 and 1951, producing a cumulative price increase of 21.50%.
This means that prices in 1951 are 1.21 times as high as average prices since 1920, according to Statistics Canada consumer price index.
The inflation rate in 1920 was 16.30%. The inflation rate in 1951 was 10.55%. The 1951 inflation rate is higher compared to the average inflation rate of 3.40% per year between 1951 and 2024.
⌃
| Cumulative price change | 21.50% |
| Average inflation rate | 0.63% |
| Converted amount $1 base | $1.21 |
| Price difference $1 base | $0.21 |
| CPI in 1920 | 11.358 |
| CPI in 1951 | 13.800 |
| Inflation in 1920 | 16.30% |
| Inflation in 1951 | 10.55% |
| $1 in 1920 | $1.21 in 1951 |
Buying power of $1 in 1920
This chart shows a calculation of buying power equivalence for $1 in 1920 (price index tracking began in 1914).
For example, if you started with $1, you would need to end with $1.21 in order to "adjust" for inflation (sometimes refered to as "beating inflation").
When $1 is equivalent to $1.21 over time, that means that the "real value" of a single Canadian 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 1920 dollars, the chart below shows how $1 is worth less over 31 years.
According to Statistics Canada, each of these CAD amounts below is equal in terms of what it could buy at the time:
This conversion table shows various other 1920 amounts in 1951 dollars, based on the 21.50% change in prices:
| Initial value | Equivalent value |
|---|---|
| $1 dollar in 1920 | $1.21 dollars in 1951 |
| $5 dollars in 1920 | $6.07 dollars in 1951 |
| $10 dollars in 1920 | $12.15 dollars in 1951 |
| $50 dollars in 1920 | $60.75 dollars in 1951 |
| $100 dollars in 1920 | $121.50 dollars in 1951 |
| $500 dollars in 1920 | $607.48 dollars in 1951 |
| $1,000 dollars in 1920 | $1,214.97 dollars in 1951 |
| $5,000 dollars in 1920 | $6,074.83 dollars in 1951 |
| $10,000 dollars in 1920 | $12,149.67 dollars in 1951 |
| $50,000 dollars in 1920 | $60,748.35 dollars in 1951 |
| $100,000 dollars in 1920 | $121,496.70 dollars in 1951 |
| $500,000 dollars in 1920 | $607,483.49 dollars in 1951 |
| $1,000,000 dollars in 1920 | $1,214,966.98 dollars in 1951 |
How to calculate inflation rate for $1, 1920 to 1951
Our calculations use the following inflation rate formula to calculate the change in value between 1920 and 1951:
CPI in 1951 CPI in 1920
×
1920 CAD value
=
1951 CAD value
Then plug in historical CPI values. The Canadian CPI was 11.35833333 in the year 1920 and 13.8 in 1951:
13.811.35833333
×
$1
=
$1.21
$1 in 1920 has the same "purchasing power" or "buying power" as $1.21 in 1951.
To get the total inflation rate for the 31 years between 1920 and 1951, we use the following formula:
CPI in 1951 - CPI in 1920CPI in 1920
×
100
=
Cumulative inflation rate (31 years)
Plugging in the values to this equation, we get:
13.8 - 11.3583333311.35833333
×
100
=
21%
Data source & citation
Raw data for these calculations comes from the government of Canada's annual Consumer Price Index (CPI), established in 1914 and computed by Statistics Canada (StatCan).
You may use the following MLA citation for this page: “$1 in 1920 → 1951 | Canada Inflation Calculator.” Official Inflation Data, Alioth Finance, 18 May. 2024, https://www.officialdata.org/canada/inflation/1920?amount=1&endYear=1951.
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.
| Cumulative price change | 21.50% |
| Average inflation rate | 0.63% |
| Converted amount $1 base | $1.21 |
| Price difference $1 base | $0.21 |
| CPI in 1920 | 11.358 |
| CPI in 1951 | 13.800 |
| Inflation in 1920 | 16.30% |
| Inflation in 1951 | 10.55% |
| $1 in 1920 | $1.21 in 1951 |