$1 in 2002 is worth $1.86 today

$1 in 2002 has the same buying power as

$1.86 in August 2026

That is 86% more, an average inflation rate of 2.61% a year over 24 years.

Put the other way, $1 today buys what $0.54 bought in 2002. Cash kept under the mattress since 2002 has lost 46% of its value.

$1 from nearby years

$1 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1997$2.092.3%
1998$2.061.6%
1999$2.012.2%
2000$1.953.4%
2001$1.892.8%
2002$1.861.6%
2003$1.822.3%
2004$1.772.7%
2005$1.723.4%
2006$1.663.2%
2007$1.622.8%

How $1 from 2002 grew

$0.00$0.50$1.00$1.50$2.00200520102015202020252026.625: $1.86
$1 from 2002 in each later year's dollars

$1 of 2002 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $1 spent on each of these in 2002 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$1.99
Rent$2.25
Gasoline$3.10
Medical care$2.08
New cars$1.28
College tuition$2.65
Electricity$2.28
Clothing$1.10

Try a different amount or date

$1.00 in 2002 has the same buying power as

$1.86 in August 2026

Prices rose 86.2% in total, an average of 2.61% a year.

Questions

How much is $1 in 2002 worth today?
$1 in 2002 is worth $1.86 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $1 in 2002?
You would need $1.86 to buy what $1 bought in 2002. That is 1.86 times as much.
How much buying power has $1 lost since 2002?
Kept as cash, $1 from 2002 buys only what $0.54 of 2002 money bought. It has lost 46% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 2002?
Prices rose 1.6% in 2002. Since then the average has been 2.61% a year.

Other amounts from 2002

$1 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 2002