$1 in 1944 is worth $19.03 today

$1 in 1944 has the same buying power as

$19.03 in August 2026

That is 1,803% more, an average inflation rate of 3.65% a year over 82 years.

Put the other way, $1 today buys what $0.05 bought in 1944. Cash kept under the mattress since 1944 has lost 95% of its value.

$1 from nearby years

$1 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1939$24.10-1.4%
1940$23.930.7%
1941$22.795.0%
1942$20.5510.9%
1943$19.366.1%
1944$19.031.7%
1945$18.612.3%
1946$17.188.3%
1947$15.0214.4%
1948$13.908.1%
1949$14.07-1.2%

How $1 from 1944 grew

$0.00$5.00$10$15$20195019601970198019902000201020202026.625: $19
$1 from 1944 in each later year's dollars

$1 of 1944 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $1 spent on each of these in 1944 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$20.73
Rent$18.10
Gasoline$25.16
Medical care$51.12
Electricity$10.99
Clothing$4.59

Try a different amount or date

$1.00 in 1944 has the same buying power as

$19.03 in August 2026

Prices rose 1,803.3% in total, an average of 3.65% a year.

Questions

How much is $1 in 1944 worth today?
$1 in 1944 is worth $19.03 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $1 in 1944?
You would need $19.03 to buy what $1 bought in 1944. That is 19.03 times as much.
How much buying power has $1 lost since 1944?
Kept as cash, $1 from 1944 buys only what $0.05 of 1944 money bought. It has lost 95% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1944?
Prices rose 1.7% in 1944. Since then the average has been 3.65% a year.

Other amounts from 1944

$1 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1944