$10 in 1939 is worth $240.99 today

$10 in 1939 has the same buying power as

$240.99 in August 2026

That is 2,310% more, an average inflation rate of 3.72% a year over 87 years.

Put the other way, $10 today buys what $0.41 bought in 1939. Cash kept under the mattress since 1939 has lost 96% of its value.

$10 from nearby years

$10 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1934$249.993.1%
1935$244.512.2%
1936$240.991.5%
1937$232.633.6%
1938$237.57-2.1%
1939$240.99-1.4%
1940$239.270.7%
1941$227.885.0%
1942$205.5110.9%
1943$193.636.1%
1944$190.331.7%

How $10 from 1939 grew

$0.00$50$100$150$200$2501940195019601970198019902000201020202026.625: $241
$10 from 1939 in each later year's dollars

$10 of 1939 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $10 spent on each of these in 1939 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$296.96
Rent$189.45
Gasoline$278.87
Medical care$575.73
New cars$84.37
Electricity$107.29
Clothing$63.31

Try a different amount or date

$10.00 in 1939 has the same buying power as

$240.99 in August 2026

Prices rose 2,309.9% in total, an average of 3.72% a year.

Questions

How much is $10 in 1939 worth today?
$10 in 1939 is worth $240.99 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $10 in 1939?
You would need $240.99 to buy what $10 bought in 1939. That is 24.10 times as much.
How much buying power has $10 lost since 1939?
Kept as cash, $10 from 1939 buys only what $0.41 of 1939 money bought. It has lost 96% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1939?
Prices rose -1.4% in 1939. Since then the average has been 3.72% a year.

Other amounts from 1939

$10 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1939