Inflation & buying power
What is 1948 dollars worth today?
$1 in 1948 has the same buying power as about $13.94 today (May 2026). Cumulative inflation since 1948 is about 1294%, or roughly 3.4% per year over 78 years.
What 1948 money is worth today
| In 1948 | Worth today (May 2026) |
|---|---|
| $10.00 | $139.39 |
| $100.00 | $1,394 |
| $1,000 | $13,939 |
| $10,000 | $139,391 |
| $100,000 | $1,393,906 |
Based on the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI-U). A 1948 dollar is worth about $13.94 now.
What this means
A dollar in 1948 — during the World War II years — stretched a lot further than it does now. To match that same buying power today you'd need about $13.94, because everyday prices have climbed about 1294% in the 78 years since.
Put another way, today's dollar buys what about $0.07 bought in 1948.
The inflation behind the number
- Total inflation since 1948: about 1294%.
- Average annual inflation: about 3.4% per year.
- Time span: 78 years (1948 → 2026).
- Source: CPI-U (CPIAUCNS), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED.
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1948 worth today?
$1 in 1948 has the same buying power as about $13.94 in May 2026, because prices have risen roughly 1294% since then (an average of about 3.4% a year).
How much has inflation been since 1948?
Cumulative inflation from 1948 to May 2026 is about 1294%. In other words, something that cost $100 in 1948 costs about $1,394 now.
Where does this data come from?
It uses the U.S. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U, series CPIAUCNS) published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED, using annual-average CPI for past years and the latest monthly value for today.