$1,000 in 1949 is worth $14,074.79 today

$1,000 in 1949 has the same buying power as

$14,074.79 in August 2026

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

Put the other way, $1,000 today buys what $71.05 bought in 1949. Cash kept under the mattress since 1949 has lost 93% of its value.

$1,000 from nearby years

$1,000 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1944$19,032.951.7%
1945$18,610.002.3%
1946$17,178.468.3%
1947$15,021.5214.4%
1948$13,899.598.1%
1949$14,074.79-1.2%
1950$13,899.591.3%
1951$12,883.857.9%
1952$12,640.751.9%
1953$12,546.070.8%
1954$12,452.790.7%

How $1,000 from 1949 grew

$0.00$2000$4000$6000$8000$10K$12K$14K$16K195019601970198019902000201020202026.625: $14K
$1,000 from 1949 in each later year's dollars

$1,000 of 1949 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $1,000 spent on each of these in 1949 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$14,016.72
Rent$15,644.49
Gasoline$18,834.45
Medical care$40,067.77
New cars$4,394.01
Electricity$11,441.22
Clothing$3,351.76

Try a different amount or date

$1,000.00 in 1949 has the same buying power as

$14,074.79 in August 2026

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

Questions

How much is $1,000 in 1949 worth today?
$1,000 in 1949 is worth $14,074.79 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $1,000 in 1949?
You would need $14,074.79 to buy what $1,000 bought in 1949. That is 14.07 times as much.
How much buying power has $1,000 lost since 1949?
Kept as cash, $1,000 from 1949 buys only what $71.05 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

$1,000 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1949