$10 in 1971 is worth $82.71 today

$10 in 1971 has the same buying power as

$82.71 in August 2026

That is 727% more, an average inflation rate of 3.91% a year over 55 years.

Put the other way, $10 today buys what $1.21 bought in 1971. Cash kept under the mattress since 1971 has lost 88% of its value.

$10 from nearby years

$10 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1966$103.392.9%
1967$100.293.1%
1968$96.264.2%
1969$91.285.5%
1970$86.345.7%
1971$82.714.4%
1972$80.143.2%
1973$75.456.2%
1974$67.9511.0%
1975$62.269.1%
1976$58.875.8%

How $10 from 1971 grew

$0.00$20$40$60$80$100198019902000201020202026.625: $83
$10 from 1971 in each later year's dollars

$10 of 1971 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $10 spent on each of these in 1971 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$86.74
Rent$92.20
Gasoline$128.02
Medical care$164.27
New cars$32.50
Electricity$91.46
Clothing$22.38

Try a different amount or date

$10.00 in 1971 has the same buying power as

$82.71 in August 2026

Prices rose 727.1% in total, an average of 3.91% a year.

Questions

How much is $10 in 1971 worth today?
$10 in 1971 is worth $82.71 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $10 in 1971?
You would need $82.71 to buy what $10 bought in 1971. That is 8.27 times as much.
How much buying power has $10 lost since 1971?
Kept as cash, $10 from 1971 buys only what $1.21 of 1971 money bought. It has lost 88% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1971?
Prices rose 4.4% in 1971. Since then the average has been 3.91% a year.

Other amounts from 1971

$10 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1971