$1 in 1949 is worth $14.07 today

$1 in 1949 has the same buying power as

$14.07 in August 2026

That is 1,307% more, an average inflation rate of 3.49% a year over 77 years.

Put the other way, $1 today buys what $0.07 bought in 1949. Cash kept under the mattress since 1949 has lost 93% of its value.

$1 from nearby years

$1 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
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%
1950$13.901.3%
1951$12.887.9%
1952$12.641.9%
1953$12.550.8%
1954$12.450.7%

How $1 from 1949 grew

$0.00$2.00$4.00$6.00$8.00$10$12$14$16195019601970198019902000201020202026.625: $14
$1 from 1949 in each later year's dollars

$1 of 1949 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $1 spent on each of these in 1949 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$14.02
Rent$15.64
Gasoline$18.83
Medical care$40.07
New cars$4.39
Electricity$11.44
Clothing$3.35

Try a different amount or date

$1.00 in 1949 has the same buying power as

$14.07 in August 2026

Prices rose 1,307.5% in total, an average of 3.49% a year.

Questions

How much is $1 in 1949 worth today?
$1 in 1949 is worth $14.07 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $1 in 1949?
You would need $14.07 to buy what $1 bought in 1949. That is 14.07 times as much.
How much buying power has $1 lost since 1949?
Kept as cash, $1 from 1949 buys only what $0.07 of 1949 money bought. It has lost 93% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1949?
Prices rose -1.2% in 1949. Since then the average has been 3.49% a year.

Other amounts from 1949

$1 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1949