$1 in 1920 is worth $16.75 today

$1 in 1920 has the same buying power as

$16.75 in August 2026

That is 1,575% more, an average inflation rate of 2.69% a year over 106 years.

Put the other way, $1 today buys what $0.06 bought in 1920. Cash kept under the mattress since 1920 has lost 94% of its value.

$1 from nearby years

$1 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1915$33.171.0%
1916$30.737.9%
1917$26.1717.4%
1918$22.1818.0%
1919$19.3614.6%
1920$16.7515.6%
1921$18.71-10.5%
1922$19.94-6.1%
1923$19.591.8%
1924$19.590.0%
1925$19.142.3%

How $1 from 1920 grew

$0.00$5.00$10$15$201920194019601980200020202026.625: $17
$1 from 1920 in each later year's dollars

$1 of 1920 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $1 spent on each of these in 1920 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$16.69
Rent$16.39
Electricity$7.30
Clothing$3.17

Try a different amount or date

$1.00 in 1920 has the same buying power as

$16.75 in August 2026

Prices rose 1,574.9% in total, an average of 2.69% a year.

Questions

How much is $1 in 1920 worth today?
$1 in 1920 is worth $16.75 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $1 in 1920?
You would need $16.75 to buy what $1 bought in 1920. That is 16.75 times as much.
How much buying power has $1 lost since 1920?
Kept as cash, $1 from 1920 buys only what $0.06 of 1920 money bought. It has lost 94% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1920?
Prices rose 15.6% in 1920. Since then the average has been 2.69% a year.

Other amounts from 1920

$1 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1920