$10,000 in 1948 is worth $138,996 today

$10,000 in 1948 has the same buying power as

$138,996 in August 2026

That is 1,290% more, an average inflation rate of 3.43% a year over 78 years.

Put the other way, $10,000 today buys what $719.45 bought in 1948. Cash kept under the mattress since 1948 has lost 93% of its value.

$10,000 from nearby years

$10,000 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1943$193,6306.1%
1944$190,3301.7%
1945$186,1002.3%
1946$171,7858.3%
1947$150,21514.4%
1948$138,9968.1%
1949$140,748-1.2%
1950$138,9961.3%
1951$128,8387.9%
1952$126,4081.9%
1953$125,4610.8%

How $10,000 from 1948 grew

$0.00$20K$40K$60K$80K$100K$120K$140K195019601970198019902000201020202026.625: $139K
$10,000 from 1948 in each later year's dollars

$10,000 of 1948 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $10,000 spent on each of these in 1948 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$134,260
Rent$163,272
Gasoline$193,408
Medical care$411,808
New cars$48,180.97
Electricity$115,693
Clothing$32,176.94

Try a different amount or date

$10,000.00 in 1948 has the same buying power as

$138,996 in August 2026

Prices rose 1,290.0% in total, an average of 3.43% a year.

Questions

How much is $10,000 in 1948 worth today?
$10,000 in 1948 is worth $138,996 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $10,000 in 1948?
You would need $138,996 to buy what $10,000 bought in 1948. That is 13.90 times as much.
How much buying power has $10,000 lost since 1948?
Kept as cash, $10,000 from 1948 buys only what $719.45 of 1948 money bought. It has lost 93% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1948?
Prices rose 8.1% in 1948. Since then the average has been 3.43% a year.

Other amounts from 1948

$10,000 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1948