$100 in 1896 is worth $3,533.30 today
$100 in 1900 → 2023
Value of $100 from 1896 to 2023
$100 in 1896 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $3,533.30 today, an increase of $3,433.30 over 127 years. The dollar had an average inflation rate of 2.85% per year between 1896 and today, producing a cumulative price increase of 3,433.30%.
The inflation rate in 1896 was 0.00%. The current inflation rate compared to last year is now 6.45%. If this number holds, $100 today will be equivalent in buying power to $106.45 next year. The current inflation rate page gives more detail on the latest inflation rates.
Buying Power of $100
Converted amount ($100 base) $3,533.30
Price difference ($100 base) $3,433.30
$100 in 1896 $3,533.30 in 2023
Buying power of $100 in 1896
This chart shows a calculation of buying power equivalence for $100 in 1896 (price index tracking began in 1635).
For example, if you started with $100, you would need to end with $3,533.30 in order to "adjust" for inflation (sometimes refered to as "beating inflation").
When $100 is equivalent to $3,533.30 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 1896 dollars, the chart below shows how $100 is worth less over 127 years.
1896 $100.00 -
1981 $1,082.14 10.32%
Transportation 3.43 7,119.04 7,219.04
Medical care 4.68 33,318.74 33,418.74
Education and communication 1.81 876.13 976.13
Other goods and services 4.98 47,541.00 47,641.00
How to calculate inflation rate for $100 since 1896
$100 in 1896 has the same "purchasing power" or "buying power" as $3,533.30 in 2023.
The average inflation rate of 2.85% has a compounding effect between 1896 and 2023. As noted above, this yearly inflation rate compounds to produce an overall price difference of 3,433.30% over 127 years.
To help put this inflation into perspective, if we had invested $100 in the S&P 500 index in 1896, our investment would be nominally worth approximately $14,647,283.95 in 2023. This is a return on investment of 14,647,183.95%, with an absolute return of $14,647,183.95 on top of the original $100.
The compounding effect of inflation would account for 97.17% of returns ($14,232,733.98) during this period. This means the inflation-adjusted real return of our $100 investment is $414,449.96. You may also want to account for capital gains tax, which would take your real return down to around $352,282 for most people.
Nominal $100 $14,647,283.95 14,647,183.95%
Inflation Adjusted $100 $414,549.96 414,449.96%
You may use the following MLA citation for this page: "$100 in 1896 → 2023 | Inflation Calculator." Official Inflation Data, Alioth Finance, 28 Jan. 2023, https://www.officialdata.org/us/inflation/1896?amount=100.