$1 million in 1946 is worth $17,178,462 today

$1 million in 1946 has the same buying power as

$17,178,462 in August 2026

That is 1,618% more, an average inflation rate of 3.61% a year over 80 years.

Put the other way, $1 million today buys what $58,212.43 bought in 1946. Cash kept under the mattress since 1946 has lost 94% of its value.

$1 million from nearby years

$1 million inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1941$22,787,7555.0%
1942$20,550,92010.9%
1943$19,363,0066.1%
1944$19,032,9551.7%
1945$18,610,0002.3%
1946$17,178,4628.3%
1947$15,021,52514.4%
1948$13,899,5858.1%
1949$14,074,790-1.2%
1950$13,899,5851.3%
1951$12,883,8467.9%

How $1 million from 1946 grew

$0.00$5.0M$10.0M$15.0M$20.0M195019601970198019902000201020202026.625: $17.2M
$1 million from 1946 in each later year's dollars

$1 million of 1946 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $1 million spent on each of these in 1946 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$17,697,879
Rent$17,959,880
Gasoline$24,809,517
Medical care$47,440,240
Electricity$11,526,283
Clothing$3,975,349

Try a different amount or date

$1,000,000 in 1946 has the same buying power as

$17,178,462 in August 2026

Prices rose 1,617.8% in total, an average of 3.61% a year.

Questions

How much is $1 million in 1946 worth today?
$1 million in 1946 is worth $17,178,462 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $1 million in 1946?
You would need $17,178,462 to buy what $1 million bought in 1946. That is 17.18 times as much.
How much buying power has $1 million lost since 1946?
Kept as cash, $1 million from 1946 buys only what $58,212.43 of 1946 money bought. It has lost 94% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1946?
Prices rose 8.3% in 1946. Since then the average has been 3.61% a year.

Other amounts from 1946

$1 million in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1946