$100 in 1946 is worth $1,717.85 today

$100 in 1946 has the same buying power as

$1,717.85 in August 2026

That is 1,618% more, an average inflation rate of 3.61% a year over 80 years.

Put the other way, $100 today buys what $5.82 bought in 1946. Cash kept under the mattress since 1946 has lost 94% of its value.

$100 from nearby years

$100 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1941$2,278.785.0%
1942$2,055.0910.9%
1943$1,936.306.1%
1944$1,903.301.7%
1945$1,861.002.3%
1946$1,717.858.3%
1947$1,502.1514.4%
1948$1,389.968.1%
1949$1,407.48-1.2%
1950$1,389.961.3%
1951$1,288.387.9%

How $100 from 1946 grew

$0.00$500$1000$1500$2000195019601970198019902000201020202026.625: $1718
$100 from 1946 in each later year's dollars

$100 of 1946 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $100 spent on each of these in 1946 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$1,769.79
Rent$1,795.99
Gasoline$2,480.95
Medical care$4,744.02
Electricity$1,152.63
Clothing$397.53

Try a different amount or date

$100.00 in 1946 has the same buying power as

$1,717.85 in August 2026

Prices rose 1,617.8% in total, an average of 3.61% a year.

Questions

How much is $100 in 1946 worth today?
$100 in 1946 is worth $1,717.85 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $100 in 1946?
You would need $1,717.85 to buy what $100 bought in 1946. That is 17.18 times as much.
How much buying power has $100 lost since 1946?
Kept as cash, $100 from 1946 buys only what $5.82 of 1946 money bought. It has lost 94% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1946?
Prices rose 8.3% in 1946. Since then the average has been 3.61% a year.

Other amounts from 1946

$100 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1946