$1 in 1926 is worth $18.93 today

$1 in 1926 has the same buying power as

$18.93 in August 2026

That is 1,793% more, an average inflation rate of 2.98% a year over 100 years.

Put the other way, $1 today buys what $0.05 bought in 1926. Cash kept under the mattress since 1926 has lost 95% of its value.

$1 from nearby years

$1 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1921$18.71-10.5%
1922$19.94-6.1%
1923$19.591.8%
1924$19.590.0%
1925$19.142.3%
1926$18.931.1%
1927$19.25-1.7%
1928$19.59-1.7%
1929$19.590.0%
1930$20.06-2.3%
1931$22.04-9.0%

How $1 from 1926 grew

$0.00$5.00$10$15$20194019601980200020202026.625: $19
$1 from 1926 in each later year's dollars

$1 of 1926 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $1 spent on each of these in 1926 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$20.61
Rent$13.13
Electricity$7.64
Clothing$5.28

Try a different amount or date

$1.00 in 1926 has the same buying power as

$18.93 in August 2026

Prices rose 1,792.5% in total, an average of 2.98% a year.

Questions

How much is $1 in 1926 worth today?
$1 in 1926 is worth $18.93 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $1 in 1926?
You would need $18.93 to buy what $1 bought in 1926. That is 18.93 times as much.
How much buying power has $1 lost since 1926?
Kept as cash, $1 from 1926 buys only what $0.05 of 1926 money bought. It has lost 95% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1926?
Prices rose 1.1% in 1926. Since then the average has been 2.98% a year.

Other amounts from 1926

$1 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1926