Inflation calculatorBy yearPricesThen vs. now

$10,000 in 1929 is worth how much today?

$196,371.05 in Sep 2026 dollars

$10,000 in 1929 had the same purchasing power as $196,371.05 in Sep 2026. Prices are 19.64× higher, so a dollar from 1929 buys what about $19.64 buys today. Put the other way, $10,000 held as cash since 1929 has lost about 95% of its buying power. Inflation in 1929 was 0.0%. 1929 is remembered for the stock market crash. Over the following decade, prices rose -18%.

BLS average item prices start around 1980, so item-by-item comparisons aren't available for 1929. Browse item price histories for later years.

$0$49,253$98,506$147,759$197,012192919411953196519771989200120132025

To earn the same today

Someone earning $10,000 a month in 1929 would need about $196,371.05 a month in Sep 2026 to keep the same standard of living, based on CPI-U.

Other amounts: $100 · $1,000 · full 1929 inflation table
Nearby years: 1920 · 1925 · 1930 · 1933 · 1935

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index (series CUUR0000SA0), via the BLS Public Data API. Data retrieved 2026-10-21. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.