$1 in 1917 is worth $26.17 today

$1 in 1917 has the same buying power as

$26.17 in August 2026

That is 2,517% more, an average inflation rate of 3.04% a year over 109 years.

Put the other way, $1 today buys what $0.04 bought in 1917. Cash kept under the mattress since 1917 has lost 96% of its value.

$1 from nearby years

$1 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1913$33.84
1914$33.501.0%
1915$33.171.0%
1916$30.737.9%
1917$26.1717.4%
1918$22.1818.0%
1919$19.3614.6%
1920$16.7515.6%
1921$18.71-10.5%
1922$19.94-6.1%

How $1 from 1917 grew

$0.00$5.00$10$15$20$25$301920194019601980200020202026.625: $26
$1 from 1917 in each later year's dollars

$1 of 1917 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $1 spent on each of these in 1917 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$24.17
Rent$21.18
Electricity$7.56
Clothing$6.77

Try a different amount or date

$1.00 in 1917 has the same buying power as

$26.17 in August 2026

Prices rose 2,517.0% in total, an average of 3.04% a year.

Questions

How much is $1 in 1917 worth today?
$1 in 1917 is worth $26.17 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $1 in 1917?
You would need $26.17 to buy what $1 bought in 1917. That is 26.17 times as much.
How much buying power has $1 lost since 1917?
Kept as cash, $1 from 1917 buys only what $0.04 of 1917 money bought. It has lost 96% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1917?
Prices rose 17.4% in 1917. Since then the average has been 3.04% a year.

Other amounts from 1917

$1 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1917