Value of $1 from 1942 to today
$1 in 1942 is worth
$20.55 in August 2026
Prices are 1,955% higher, an average of 3.66% a year. In other words, $1 today buys what $0.05 bought in 1942.
Inflation in 1942
10.9%
Average CPI in 1942
16.3
CPI in August 2026
335.0
Average inflation, 1940s
5.5%
1942 dollars in today's money
| In 1942 | In August 2026 |
|---|---|
| $1 | $20.55 |
| $5 | $102.75 |
| $10 | $205.51 |
| $20 | $411.02 |
| $50 | $1,027.55 |
| $100 | $2,055.09 |
| $500 | $10,275.46 |
| $1,000 | $20,550.92 |
| $5,000 | $102,755 |
| $10,000 | $205,509 |
| $20,000 | $411,018 |
| $50,000 | $1,027,546 |
| $100,000 | $2,055,092 |
| $1 million | $20,550,920 |
Convert another amount
How $1 from 1942 grew
Which prices rose most since 1942
Overall prices rose 1,955% since 1942. Some things rose far more and some far less:
| Category | Change since 1942 | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Cigarettes and tobacco | +11,030% | 5.8% |
| Car insurance | +8,468% | 5.4% |
| Medical care | +5,442% | 4.9% |
| Dental care | +4,525% | 4.7% |
| Doctor visits | +3,721% | 4.4% |
| Potatoes | +3,483% | 4.3% |
| Beef | +3,480% | 4.3% |
| Postage | +3,322% | 4.3% |
| Milk | +1,091% | 3.0% |
| Electricity | +996% | 2.9% |
| Bananas | +787% | 2.6% |
| Shoes | +764% | 2.6% |
| Chicken and poultry | +577% | 2.3% |
| Furniture | +475% | 2.1% |
| Eggs | +470% | 2.1% |
| Clothing | +412% | 2.0% |
Year by year since 1942
| Year | $1 from 1942 equals | Inflation that year |
|---|---|---|
| 1942 | $1.00 | 10.9% |
| 1943 | $1.06 | 6.1% |
| 1944 | $1.08 | 1.7% |
| 1945 | $1.10 | 2.3% |
| 1946 | $1.20 | 8.3% |
| 1947 | $1.37 | 14.4% |
| 1948 | $1.48 | 8.1% |
| 1949 | $1.46 | -1.2% |
| 1950 | $1.48 | 1.3% |
| 1951 | $1.60 | 7.9% |
| 1952 | $1.63 | 1.9% |
| 1953 | $1.64 | 0.8% |
| 1954 | $1.65 | 0.7% |
| 1955 | $1.64 | -0.4% |
| 1956 | $1.67 | 1.5% |
| 1957 | $1.72 | 3.3% |
| 1958 | $1.77 | 2.8% |
| 1959 | $1.79 | 0.7% |
| 1960 | $1.82 | 1.7% |
| 1961 | $1.83 | 1.0% |
| 1962 | $1.85 | 1.0% |
| 1963 | $1.88 | 1.3% |
| 1964 | $1.90 | 1.3% |
| 1965 | $1.93 | 1.6% |
| 1966 | $1.99 | 2.9% |
| 1967 | $2.05 | 3.1% |
| 1968 | $2.13 | 4.2% |
| 1969 | $2.25 | 5.5% |
| 1970 | $2.38 | 5.7% |
| 1971 | $2.48 | 4.4% |
| 1972 | $2.56 | 3.2% |
| 1973 | $2.72 | 6.2% |
| 1974 | $3.02 | 11.0% |
| 1975 | $3.30 | 9.1% |
| 1976 | $3.49 | 5.8% |
| 1977 | $3.72 | 6.5% |
| 1978 | $4.00 | 7.6% |
| 1979 | $4.45 | 11.3% |
| 1980 | $5.06 | 13.5% |
| 1981 | $5.58 | 10.3% |
| 1982 | $5.92 | 6.2% |
| 1983 | $6.11 | 3.2% |
| 1984 | $6.37 | 4.3% |
| 1985 | $6.60 | 3.6% |
| 1986 | $6.72 | 1.9% |
| 1987 | $6.97 | 3.6% |
| 1988 | $7.26 | 4.1% |
| 1989 | $7.61 | 4.8% |
| 1990 | $8.02 | 5.4% |
| 1991 | $8.36 | 4.2% |
| 1992 | $8.61 | 3.0% |
| 1993 | $8.87 | 3.0% |
| 1994 | $9.09 | 2.6% |
| 1995 | $9.35 | 2.8% |
| 1996 | $9.63 | 3.0% |
| 1997 | $9.85 | 2.3% |
| 1998 | $10.00 | 1.6% |
| 1999 | $10.22 | 2.2% |
| 2000 | $10.56 | 3.4% |
| 2001 | $10.87 | 2.8% |
| 2002 | $11.04 | 1.6% |
| 2003 | $11.29 | 2.3% |
| 2004 | $11.59 | 2.7% |
| 2005 | $11.98 | 3.4% |
| 2006 | $12.37 | 3.2% |
| 2007 | $12.72 | 2.8% |
| 2008 | $13.21 | 3.8% |
| 2009 | $13.16 | -0.4% |
| 2010 | $13.38 | 1.6% |
| 2011 | $13.80 | 3.2% |
| 2012 | $14.09 | 2.1% |
| 2013 | $14.29 | 1.5% |
| 2014 | $14.52 | 1.6% |
| 2015 | $14.54 | 0.1% |
| 2016 | $14.72 | 1.3% |
| 2017 | $15.04 | 2.1% |
| 2018 | $15.41 | 2.4% |
| 2019 | $15.68 | 1.8% |
| 2020 | $15.88 | 1.2% |
| 2021 | $16.62 | 4.7% |
| 2022 | $17.95 | 8.0% |
| 2023 | $18.69 | 4.1% |
| 2024 | $19.24 | 2.9% |
| 2025 | $19.75 | 2.6% |
| August 2026 | $20.55 |
Questions
- How much is $1 from 1942 worth today?
- $1 in 1942 has the same buying power as $20.55 in August 2026, based on the Consumer Price Index.
- What was the inflation rate in 1942?
- Prices rose 10.9% in 1942, comparing the average CPI for 1942 with 1941.
- How much have prices gone up since 1942?
- Prices are 1,955% higher than in 1942, an average of 3.66% a year.
- What is $100 from 1942 worth today?
- $2,055.09. $1,000 from 1942 is worth $20,550.92.