Prices are now 20.6x higher than in 1942
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, something that cost $100 in 1942 costs about $2,055.09 today. The inflation rate in 1942 was 10.9%, and total inflation from 1942 to August 2026 was 1,955%.
The federal minimum wage was $0.30 an hour at the end of 1942, or about $6.17 an hour in today's dollars.
The S&P 500 index started 1942 at 8.93. With dividends reinvested, $100 invested in the S&P 500 in 1942 would have grown to about $1,344,248.02 by 2026, before adjusting for inflation.
Some costs rose much faster than others. Compared with overall inflation, heating oil rose the most since 1942 (223% more than inflation), and clothing rose the least (75% less).
| All prices, on average | $2,055.09 |
| Food | $2,264.11 |
| Eggs | $570.52 |
| Milk | $1,156.01 |
| Bread | $3,077.78 |
| Meat | $2,468.12 |
| Sugar and sweets | $2,281.01 |
| Rent | $1,803.27 |
| Electricity | $1,077.93 |
Cost of living in 1942 by category
The Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing average prices for individual items in 1980. For 1942, these comparisons use the consumer price index for each spending category: each row shows what something that cost $100 in 1942 costs in August 2026, and how that compares with overall inflation of 1,955%.
Food & drink
| Category | $100 in 1942 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $100 in 1942 today$2,264.11 | Compared with inflation10% more than inflation |
| Eggs | $100 in 1942 today$570.52 | Compared with inflation72% less than inflation |
| Milk | $100 in 1942 today$1,156.01 | Compared with inflation44% less than inflation |
| Bread | $100 in 1942 today$3,077.78 | Compared with inflation50% more than inflation |
| Meat | $100 in 1942 today$2,468.12 | Compared with inflation20% more than inflation |
| Sugar and sweets | $100 in 1942 today$2,281.01 | Compared with inflation11% more than inflation |
Housing & energy
| Category | $100 in 1942 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $100 in 1942 today$1,803.27 | Compared with inflation12% less than inflation |
| Electricity | $100 in 1942 today$1,077.93 | Compared with inflation48% less than inflation |
| Natural gas | $100 in 1942 today$2,129.01 | Compared with inflation4% more than inflation |
| Heating oil | $100 in 1942 today$6,642.48 | Compared with inflation223% more than inflation |
Transportation
| Category | $100 in 1942 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $100 in 1942 today$2,373.24 | Compared with inflation15% more than inflation |
| Public transportation | $100 in 1942 today$3,162.32 | Compared with inflation54% more than inflation |
Other costs
| Category | $100 in 1942 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | $100 in 1942 today$509.29 | Compared with inflation75% less than inflation |
| Medical care | $100 in 1942 today$5,545.42 | Compared with inflation170% more than inflation |
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1942 worth today?
$1 in 1942 has about the same buying power as $20.55 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.
What was the inflation rate in 1942?
The U.S. inflation rate in 1942 was 10.9%, measured as the change in the consumer price index from 1941 to 1942.
What was the minimum wage in 1942?
The federal minimum wage at the end of 1942 was $0.30 an hour, or about $6.17 an hour in today's dollars.
Which costs rose the most since 1942?
Of the spending categories tracked since 1942, heating oil rose the most relative to overall inflation: something that cost $100 in 1942 costs about $6642.48 today. Clothing rose the least, to about $509.29.
Where these numbers come from
Category comparisons use the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index for each category, from the 1942 annual average to August 2026. Overall inflation uses the same consumer price index as our 1942 inflation calculator. The federal minimum wage is from the U.S. Department of Labor, via the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. S&P 500 values are from Robert Shiller's historical stock market data.
Prices in other years
- 1914
- 1915
- 1916
- 1917
- 1918
- 1919
- 1920
- 1921
- 1922
- 1923
- 1924
- 1925
- 1926
- 1927
- 1928
- 1929
- 1930
- 1931
- 1932
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- 1936
- 1937
- 1938
- 1939
- 1940
- 1941
- 1942
- 1943
- 1944
- 1945
- 1946
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- 1948
- 1949
- 1950
- 1951
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- 1953
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- 1960
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- 1964
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- 1966
- 1967
- 1968
- 1969
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- 1973
- 1974
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- 1977
- 1978
- 1979
- 1980
- 1981
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- 1983
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- 1987
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- 1989
- 1990
- 1991
- 1992
- 1993
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- 1997
- 1998
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- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
| All prices, on average | $2,055.09 |
| Food | $2,264.11 |
| Eggs | $570.52 |
| Milk | $1,156.01 |
| Bread | $3,077.78 |
| Meat | $2,468.12 |
| Sugar and sweets | $2,281.01 |
| Rent | $1,803.27 |
| Electricity | $1,077.93 |