$1,000 in 1974 is worth $6,794.73 today

$1,000 in 1974 has the same buying power as

$6,794.73 in August 2026

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

Put the other way, $1,000 today buys what $147.17 bought in 1974. Cash kept under the mattress since 1974 has lost 85% of its value.

$1,000 from nearby years

$1,000 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1969$9,127.525.5%
1970$8,633.515.7%
1971$8,271.114.4%
1972$8,013.883.2%
1973$7,544.596.2%
1974$6,794.7311.0%
1975$6,226.399.1%
1976$5,887.175.8%
1977$5,527.726.5%
1978$5,137.737.6%
1979$4,614.0511.3%

How $1,000 from 1974 grew

$0.00$1000$2000$3000$4000$5000$6000$7000198019902000201020202026.625: $6795
$1,000 from 1974 in each later year's dollars

$1,000 of 1974 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $1,000 spent on each of these in 1974 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$6,359.67
Rent$8,134.00
Gasoline$8,524.60
Medical care$13,985.92
New cars$3,098.53
Electricity$7,030.77
Clothing$1,970.49

Try a different amount or date

$1,000.00 in 1974 has the same buying power as

$6,794.73 in August 2026

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

Questions

How much is $1,000 in 1974 worth today?
$1,000 in 1974 is worth $6,794.73 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $1,000 in 1974?
You would need $6,794.73 to buy what $1,000 bought in 1974. That is 6.79 times as much.
How much buying power has $1,000 lost since 1974?
Kept as cash, $1,000 from 1974 buys only what $147.17 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

$1,000 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1974