Inflation calculatorBy yearPricesThen vs. now

$10,000 in 1930 is worth how much today?

$201,760.48 in Sep 2026 dollars

$10,000 in 1930 had the same purchasing power as $201,760.48 in Sep 2026. Prices are 20.18× higher, so a dollar from 1930 buys what about $20.18 buys today. Put the other way, $10,000 held as cash since 1930 has lost about 95% of its buying power. Inflation in 1930 was -2.7%. Over the following decade, prices rose -17%.

BLS average item prices start around 1980, so item-by-item comparisons aren't available for 1930. Browse item price histories for later years.

$0$50,605$101,210$151,814$202,41919301942195419661978199020022014

To earn the same today

Someone earning $10,000 a month in 1930 would need about $201,760.48 a month in Sep 2026 to keep the same standard of living, based on CPI-U.

Other amounts: $100 · $1,000 · full 1930 inflation table
Nearby years: 1920 · 1925 · 1929 · 1933 · 1935 · 1940

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.