$1,000 in 1921 is worth $18,713.97 today

$1,000 in 1921 has the same buying power as

$18,713.97 in August 2026

That is 1,771% more, an average inflation rate of 2.83% a year over 105 years.

Put the other way, $1,000 today buys what $53.44 bought in 1921. Cash kept under the mattress since 1921 has lost 95% of its value.

$1,000 from nearby years

$1,000 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1916$30,732.117.9%
1917$26,170.3117.4%
1918$22,184.1118.0%
1919$19,363.0114.6%
1920$16,749.0015.6%
1921$18,713.97-10.5%
1922$19,939.29-6.1%
1923$19,589.471.8%
1924$19,589.470.0%
1925$19,141.712.3%
1926$18,925.421.1%

How $1,000 from 1921 grew

$0.00$5000$10K$15K$20K194019601980200020202026.625: $19K
$1,000 from 1921 in each later year's dollars

$1,000 of 1921 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $1,000 spent on each of these in 1921 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$22,038.87
Rent$14,253.87
Electricity$7,160.67
Clothing$4,119.04

Try a different amount or date

$1,000.00 in 1921 has the same buying power as

$18,713.97 in August 2026

Prices rose 1,771.4% in total, an average of 2.83% a year.

Questions

How much is $1,000 in 1921 worth today?
$1,000 in 1921 is worth $18,713.97 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $1,000 in 1921?
You would need $18,713.97 to buy what $1,000 bought in 1921. That is 18.71 times as much.
How much buying power has $1,000 lost since 1921?
Kept as cash, $1,000 from 1921 buys only what $53.44 of 1921 money bought. It has lost 95% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1921?
Prices rose -10.5% in 1921. Since then the average has been 2.83% a year.

Other amounts from 1921

$1,000 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1921