$10 in 1949 is worth $140.75 today

$10 in 1949 has the same buying power as

$140.75 in August 2026

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

Put the other way, $10 today buys what $0.71 bought in 1949. Cash kept under the mattress since 1949 has lost 93% of its value.

$10 from nearby years

$10 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1944$190.331.7%
1945$186.102.3%
1946$171.788.3%
1947$150.2214.4%
1948$139.008.1%
1949$140.75-1.2%
1950$139.001.3%
1951$128.847.9%
1952$126.411.9%
1953$125.460.8%
1954$124.530.7%

How $10 from 1949 grew

$0.00$20$40$60$80$100$120$140$160195019601970198019902000201020202026.625: $141
$10 from 1949 in each later year's dollars

$10 of 1949 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $10 spent on each of these in 1949 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$140.17
Rent$156.44
Gasoline$188.34
Medical care$400.68
New cars$43.94
Electricity$114.41
Clothing$33.52

Try a different amount or date

$10.00 in 1949 has the same buying power as

$140.75 in August 2026

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

Questions

How much is $10 in 1949 worth today?
$10 in 1949 is worth $140.75 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $10 in 1949?
You would need $140.75 to buy what $10 bought in 1949. That is 14.07 times as much.
How much buying power has $10 lost since 1949?
Kept as cash, $10 from 1949 buys only what $0.71 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

$10 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1949