Prices are now 17.2x higher than in 1946
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, something that cost $100 in 1946 costs about $1,717.85 today. The inflation rate in 1946 was 8.3%, and total inflation from 1946 to August 2026 was 1,618%.
The federal minimum wage was $0.40 an hour at the end of 1946, or about $6.87 an hour in today's dollars.
The S&P 500 index started 1946 at 18.02. With dividends reinvested, $100 invested in the S&P 500 in 1946 would have grown to about $535,743.30 by 2026, before adjusting for inflation.
Some costs rose much faster than others. Compared with overall inflation, heating oil rose the most since 1946 (270% more than inflation), and clothing rose the least (77% less).
| All prices, on average | $1,717.85 |
| Food | $1,757.59 |
| Eggs | $461.13 |
| Milk | $936.31 |
| Bread | $2,621.08 |
| Meat | $2,006.03 |
| Sugar and sweets | $2,006.67 |
| Rent | $1,784.00 |
| Electricity | $1,130.52 |
Cost of living in 1946 by category
The Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing average prices for individual items in 1980. For 1946, these comparisons use the consumer price index for each spending category: each row shows what something that cost $100 in 1946 costs in August 2026, and how that compares with overall inflation of 1,618%.
Food & drink
| Category | $100 in 1946 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $100 in 1946 today$1,757.59 | Compared with inflation2% more than inflation |
| Eggs | $100 in 1946 today$461.13 | Compared with inflation73% less than inflation |
| Milk | $100 in 1946 today$936.31 | Compared with inflation45% less than inflation |
| Bread | $100 in 1946 today$2,621.08 | Compared with inflation53% more than inflation |
| Meat | $100 in 1946 today$2,006.03 | Compared with inflation17% more than inflation |
| Sugar and sweets | $100 in 1946 today$2,006.67 | Compared with inflation17% more than inflation |
Housing & energy
| Category | $100 in 1946 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $100 in 1946 today$1,784.00 | Compared with inflation4% more than inflation |
| Electricity | $100 in 1946 today$1,130.52 | Compared with inflation34% less than inflation |
| Natural gas | $100 in 1946 today$2,226.12 | Compared with inflation30% more than inflation |
| Heating oil | $100 in 1946 today$6,356.86 | Compared with inflation270% more than inflation |
Transportation
| Category | $100 in 1946 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $100 in 1946 today$2,307.81 | Compared with inflation34% more than inflation |
| Public transportation | $100 in 1946 today$3,070.14 | Compared with inflation79% more than inflation |
Other costs
| Category | $100 in 1946 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | $100 in 1946 today$395.38 | Compared with inflation77% less than inflation |
| Medical care | $100 in 1946 today$4,774.49 | Compared with inflation178% more than inflation |
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1946 worth today?
$1 in 1946 has about the same buying power as $17.18 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.
What was the inflation rate in 1946?
The U.S. inflation rate in 1946 was 8.3%, measured as the change in the consumer price index from 1945 to 1946.
What was the minimum wage in 1946?
The federal minimum wage at the end of 1946 was $0.40 an hour, or about $6.87 an hour in today's dollars.
Which costs rose the most since 1946?
Of the spending categories tracked since 1946, heating oil rose the most relative to overall inflation: something that cost $100 in 1946 costs about $6356.86 today. Clothing rose the least, to about $395.38.
Where these numbers come from
Category comparisons use the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index for each category, from the 1946 annual average to August 2026. Overall inflation uses the same consumer price index as our 1946 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
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- 1945
- 1946
- 1947
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- 1949
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- 1951
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- 1980
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- 2000
- 2001
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- 2003
- 2004
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- 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
| All prices, on average | $1,717.85 |
| Food | $1,757.59 |
| Eggs | $461.13 |
| Milk | $936.31 |
| Bread | $2,621.08 |
| Meat | $2,006.03 |
| Sugar and sweets | $2,006.67 |
| Rent | $1,784.00 |
| Electricity | $1,130.52 |