$10 in 1948 is worth $139.00 today

$10 in 1948 has the same buying power as

$139.00 in August 2026

That is 1,290% more, an average inflation rate of 3.43% a year over 78 years.

Put the other way, $10 today buys what $0.72 bought in 1948. Cash kept under the mattress since 1948 has lost 93% of its value.

$10 from nearby years

$10 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1943$193.636.1%
1944$190.331.7%
1945$186.102.3%
1946$171.788.3%
1947$150.2214.4%
1948$139.008.1%
1949$140.75-1.2%
1950$139.001.3%
1951$128.847.9%
1952$126.411.9%
1953$125.460.8%

How $10 from 1948 grew

$0.00$20$40$60$80$100$120$140195019601970198019902000201020202026.625: $139
$10 from 1948 in each later year's dollars

$10 of 1948 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $10 spent on each of these in 1948 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$134.26
Rent$163.27
Gasoline$193.41
Medical care$411.81
New cars$48.18
Electricity$115.69
Clothing$32.18

Try a different amount or date

$10.00 in 1948 has the same buying power as

$139.00 in August 2026

Prices rose 1,290.0% in total, an average of 3.43% a year.

Questions

How much is $10 in 1948 worth today?
$10 in 1948 is worth $139.00 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $10 in 1948?
You would need $139.00 to buy what $10 bought in 1948. That is 13.90 times as much.
How much buying power has $10 lost since 1948?
Kept as cash, $10 from 1948 buys only what $0.72 of 1948 money bought. It has lost 93% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1948?
Prices rose 8.1% in 1948. Since then the average has been 3.43% a year.

Other amounts from 1948

$10 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1948