$10 in 1997 is worth $20.87 today

$10 in 1997 has the same buying power as

$20.87 in August 2026

That is 109% more, an average inflation rate of 2.56% a year over 29 years.

Put the other way, $10 today buys what $4.79 bought in 1997. Cash kept under the mattress since 1997 has lost 52% of its value.

$10 from nearby years

$10 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1992$23.883.0%
1993$23.183.0%
1994$22.602.6%
1995$21.982.8%
1996$21.353.0%
1997$20.872.3%
1998$20.551.6%
1999$20.112.2%
2000$19.453.4%
2001$18.912.8%
2002$18.621.6%

How $10 from 1997 grew

$0.00$5.00$10$15$20$252000200520102015202020252026.625: $21
$10 from 1997 in each later year's dollars

$10 of 1997 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $10 spent on each of these in 1997 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$22.28
Rent$26.93
Gasoline$34.00
Medical care$25.28
New cars$12.45
College tuition$33.58
Electricity$23.40
Clothing$10.29

Try a different amount or date

$10.00 in 1997 has the same buying power as

$20.87 in August 2026

Prices rose 108.7% in total, an average of 2.56% a year.

Questions

How much is $10 in 1997 worth today?
$10 in 1997 is worth $20.87 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $10 in 1997?
You would need $20.87 to buy what $10 bought in 1997. That is 2.09 times as much.
How much buying power has $10 lost since 1997?
Kept as cash, $10 from 1997 buys only what $4.79 of 1997 money bought. It has lost 52% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1997?
Prices rose 2.3% in 1997. Since then the average has been 2.56% a year.

Other amounts from 1997

$10 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1997