RealWorth
🇺🇸United States

United States Inflation Calculator

Historical purchasing power from 1800 to 2026 — 226 years of data

The US dollar has been the backbone of the world economy for nearly a century, but its purchasing power has eroded dramatically since 1800. What cost $1 at the founding of the Republic would cost over $30 today. This calculator shows you not just the numbers, but what they meant in human terms — months of salary, loaves of bread, weeks of rent.

Calculate United States inflation

Enter any amount and year — see what it's worth today, plus the human context

1800–2025

up to 2026

Quick examples

Popular United States calculations

$100 in 1920
Worth approximately $1,636 today
$1,000 in 1950
Worth approximately $13,577 today
$500 in 1970
Worth approximately $4,216 today
$10 in 1900
Worth approximately $394 today

All United States inflation calculations

Browse historical purchasing power for different amounts across key years in United States's monetary history.

$10 across history
$10 in 1800$10 in 1850$10 in 1870$10 in 1900$10 in 1920$10 in 1950$10 in 1970$10 in 1990$10 in 2000$10 in 2020
$50 across history
$50 in 1800$50 in 1850$50 in 1870$50 in 1900$50 in 1920$50 in 1950$50 in 1970$50 in 1990$50 in 2000$50 in 2020
$100 across history
$100 in 1800$100 in 1850$100 in 1870$100 in 1900$100 in 1920$100 in 1950$100 in 1970$100 in 1990$100 in 2000$100 in 2020
$500 across history
$500 in 1800$500 in 1850$500 in 1870$500 in 1900$500 in 1920$500 in 1950$500 in 1970$500 in 1990$500 in 2000$500 in 2020
$1,000 across history
$1,000 in 1800$1,000 in 1850$1,000 in 1870$1,000 in 1900$1,000 in 1920$1,000 in 1950$1,000 in 1970$1,000 in 1990$1,000 in 2000$1,000 in 2020
$5,000 across history
$5,000 in 1800$5,000 in 1850$5,000 in 1870$5,000 in 1900$5,000 in 1920$5,000 in 1950$5,000 in 1970$5,000 in 1990$5,000 in 2000$5,000 in 2020
$10,000 across history
$10,000 in 1800$10,000 in 1850$10,000 in 1870$10,000 in 1900$10,000 in 1920$10,000 in 1950$10,000 in 1970$10,000 in 1990$10,000 in 2000$10,000 in 2020

History of United States's currency

The US dollar was officially established by the Coinage Act of 1792, initially backed by gold and silver. The Civil War (1861–1865) forced America to print paper 'greenbacks,' causing the first significant peacetime inflation. The Federal Reserve was created in 1913, and the dollar finally abandoned the gold standard in 1971 under President Nixon. Since then, it has lost over 85% of its purchasing power — though remained the world's reserve currency.

Key monetary events

1913
Federal Reserve established; official CPI data begins
1929
Stock market crash — Great Depression begins
1944
Bretton Woods Agreement pegs dollar to gold at $35/oz
1971
Nixon ends gold convertibility — pure fiat currency
1979
Peak stagflation: 13.3% annual inflation
2008
Financial crisis triggers decade of quantitative easing
2022
Post-COVID inflation peaks at 9.1% — highest since 1981

Fascinating United States money facts

💡 A dollar in 1800 had the purchasing power of approximately $30 today

💡 During the Civil War, Confederate dollars became worthless by 1865 — a total currency collapse

💡 The cost of a Big Mac in 1970 was 45 cents. Today it's over $5.50 — roughly matching CPI inflation

💡 Andrew Carnegie's peak annual income ($23M in 1900) equals roughly $800M today

Compare with other countries

🇬🇧United Kingdom🇩🇪Germany🇫🇷France🇨🇦Canada🇯🇵Japan

All calculations based on United States's Consumer Price Index (CPI) data. Learn about our methodology and view our data sources.