$1 million in 1920 is worth $16,749,000 today

$1 million in 1920 has the same buying power as

$16,749,000 in August 2026

That is 1,575% more, an average inflation rate of 2.69% a year over 106 years.

Put the other way, $1 million today buys what $59,705.06 bought in 1920. Cash kept under the mattress since 1920 has lost 94% of its value.

$1 million from nearby years

$1 million inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1915$33,166,3371.0%
1916$30,732,1107.9%
1917$26,170,31317.4%
1918$22,184,10618.0%
1919$19,363,00614.6%
1920$16,749,00015.6%
1921$18,713,966-10.5%
1922$19,939,286-6.1%
1923$19,589,4741.8%
1924$19,589,4740.0%
1925$19,141,7142.3%

How $1 million from 1920 grew

$0.00$5.0M$10.0M$15.0M$20.0M1920194019601980200020202026.625: $16.7M
$1 million from 1920 in each later year's dollars

$1 million of 1920 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $1 million spent on each of these in 1920 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$16,686,571
Rent$16,386,752
Electricity$7,295,459
Clothing$3,172,900

Try a different amount or date

$1,000,000 in 1920 has the same buying power as

$16,749,000 in August 2026

Prices rose 1,574.9% in total, an average of 2.69% a year.

Questions

How much is $1 million in 1920 worth today?
$1 million in 1920 is worth $16,749,000 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $1 million in 1920?
You would need $16,749,000 to buy what $1 million bought in 1920. That is 16.75 times as much.
How much buying power has $1 million lost since 1920?
Kept as cash, $1 million from 1920 buys only what $59,705.06 of 1920 money bought. It has lost 94% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1920?
Prices rose 15.6% in 1920. Since then the average has been 2.69% a year.

Other amounts from 1920

$1 million in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1920