$1 in 1950 is worth $13.90 today

$1 in 1950 has the same buying power as

$13.90 in August 2026

That is 1,290% more, an average inflation rate of 3.52% a year over 76 years.

Put the other way, $1 today buys what $0.07 bought in 1950. Cash kept under the mattress since 1950 has lost 93% of its value.

$1 from nearby years

$1 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1945$18.612.3%
1946$17.188.3%
1947$15.0214.4%
1948$13.908.1%
1949$14.07-1.2%
1950$13.901.3%
1951$12.887.9%
1952$12.641.9%
1953$12.550.8%
1954$12.450.7%
1955$12.50-0.4%

How $1 from 1950 grew

$0.00$2.00$4.00$6.00$8.00$10$12$14195019601970198019902000201020202026.625: $14
$1 from 1950 in each later year's dollars

$1 of 1950 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $1 spent on each of these in 1950 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$13.80
Rent$15.12
Gasoline$18.93
Medical care$39.27
New cars$4.36
Electricity$11.40
Clothing$3.39

Try a different amount or date

$1.00 in 1950 has the same buying power as

$13.90 in August 2026

Prices rose 1,290.0% in total, an average of 3.52% a year.

Questions

How much is $1 in 1950 worth today?
$1 in 1950 is worth $13.90 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $1 in 1950?
You would need $13.90 to buy what $1 bought in 1950. That is 13.90 times as much.
How much buying power has $1 lost since 1950?
Kept as cash, $1 from 1950 buys only what $0.07 of 1950 money bought. It has lost 93% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1950?
Prices rose 1.3% in 1950. Since then the average has been 3.52% a year.

Other amounts from 1950

$1 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1950