$10 in 1974 is worth $67.95 today

$10 in 1974 has the same buying power as

$67.95 in August 2026

That is 579% more, an average inflation rate of 3.74% a year over 52 years.

Put the other way, $10 today buys what $1.47 bought in 1974. Cash kept under the mattress since 1974 has lost 85% of its value.

$10 from nearby years

$10 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
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%
1977$55.286.5%
1978$51.387.6%
1979$46.1411.3%

How $10 from 1974 grew

$0.00$10$20$30$40$50$60$70198019902000201020202026.625: $68
$10 from 1974 in each later year's dollars

$10 of 1974 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $10 spent on each of these in 1974 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$63.60
Rent$81.34
Gasoline$85.25
Medical care$139.86
New cars$30.99
Electricity$70.31
Clothing$19.70

Try a different amount or date

$10.00 in 1974 has the same buying power as

$67.95 in August 2026

Prices rose 579.5% in total, an average of 3.74% a year.

Questions

How much is $10 in 1974 worth today?
$10 in 1974 is worth $67.95 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $10 in 1974?
You would need $67.95 to buy what $10 bought in 1974. That is 6.79 times as much.
How much buying power has $10 lost since 1974?
Kept as cash, $10 from 1974 buys only what $1.47 of 1974 money bought. It has lost 85% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1974?
Prices rose 11.0% in 1974. Since then the average has been 3.74% a year.

Other amounts from 1974

$10 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1974