Prices are now 12.9x higher than in 1951
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, something that cost $100 in 1951 costs about $1,288.38 today. The inflation rate in 1951 was 7.9%, and total inflation from 1951 to August 2026 was 1,188%.
The federal minimum wage was $0.75 an hour at the end of 1951, or about $9.66 an hour in today's dollars.
The S&P 500 index started 1951 at 21.21. With dividends reinvested, $100 invested in the S&P 500 in 1951 would have grown to about $343,555.46 by 2026, before adjusting for inflation.
Some costs rose much faster than others. Compared with overall inflation, tobacco rose the most since 1951 (506% more than inflation), and clothing rose the least (76% less).
| All prices, on average | $1,288.38 |
| Food | $1,234.00 |
| Groceries | $1,056.54 |
| Eggs | $368.38 |
| Milk | $727.76 |
| Bread | $1,741.14 |
| Meat | $1,103.61 |
| Fresh fruit | $1,949.28 |
| Sugar and sweets | $1,547.73 |
Cost of living in 1951 by category
The Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing average prices for individual items in 1980. For 1951, these comparisons use the consumer price index for each spending category: each row shows what something that cost $100 in 1951 costs in August 2026, and how that compares with overall inflation of 1,188%.
Food & drink
| Category | $100 in 1951 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $100 in 1951 today$1,234.00 | Compared with inflation4% less than inflation |
| Groceries | $100 in 1951 today$1,056.54 | Compared with inflation18% less than inflation |
| Eggs | $100 in 1951 today$368.38 | Compared with inflation71% less than inflation |
| Milk | $100 in 1951 today$727.76 | Compared with inflation44% less than inflation |
| Bread | $100 in 1951 today$1,741.14 | Compared with inflation35% more than inflation |
| Meat | $100 in 1951 today$1,103.61 | Compared with inflation14% less than inflation |
| Fresh fruit | $100 in 1951 today$1,949.28 | Compared with inflation51% more than inflation |
| Sugar and sweets | $100 in 1951 today$1,547.73 | Compared with inflation20% more than inflation |
| Tobacco | $100 in 1951 today$7,807.62 | Compared with inflation506% more than inflation |
Housing & energy
| Category | $100 in 1951 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $100 in 1951 today$1,439.80 | Compared with inflation12% more than inflation |
| Electricity | $100 in 1951 today$1,114.69 | Compared with inflation13% less than inflation |
| Natural gas | $100 in 1951 today$2,047.80 | Compared with inflation59% more than inflation |
| Heating oil | $100 in 1951 today$4,133.10 | Compared with inflation221% more than inflation |
Transportation
| Category | $100 in 1951 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $100 in 1951 today$1,720.72 | Compared with inflation34% more than inflation |
| New cars | $100 in 1951 today$410.12 | Compared with inflation68% less than inflation |
| Public transportation | $100 in 1951 today$1,954.66 | Compared with inflation52% more than inflation |
Other costs
| Category | $100 in 1951 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | $100 in 1951 today$309.57 | Compared with inflation76% less than inflation |
| Shoes | $100 in 1951 today$434.89 | Compared with inflation66% less than inflation |
| Medical care | $100 in 1951 today$3,741.70 | Compared with inflation190% more than inflation |
| Doctor visits | $100 in 1951 today$2,703.56 | Compared with inflation110% more than inflation |
| Prescription drugs | $100 in 1951 today$1,230.73 | Compared with inflation4% less than inflation |
| Personal care | $100 in 1951 today$1,050.32 | Compared with inflation18% less than inflation |
| Postage | $100 in 1951 today$2,689.21 | Compared with inflation109% more than inflation |
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1951 worth today?
$1 in 1951 has about the same buying power as $12.88 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.
What was the inflation rate in 1951?
The U.S. inflation rate in 1951 was 7.9%, measured as the change in the consumer price index from 1950 to 1951.
What was the minimum wage in 1951?
The federal minimum wage at the end of 1951 was $0.75 an hour, or about $9.66 an hour in today's dollars.
Which costs rose the most since 1951?
Of the spending categories tracked since 1951, tobacco rose the most relative to overall inflation: something that cost $100 in 1951 costs about $7807.62 today. Clothing rose the least, to about $309.57.
Where these numbers come from
Category comparisons use the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index for each category, from the 1951 annual average to August 2026. Overall inflation uses the same consumer price index as our 1951 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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- 1940
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- 1944
- 1945
- 1946
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- 1949
- 1950
- 1951
- 1952
- 1953
- 1954
- 1955
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- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
| All prices, on average | $1,288.38 |
| Food | $1,234.00 |
| Groceries | $1,056.54 |
| Eggs | $368.38 |
| Milk | $727.76 |
| Bread | $1,741.14 |
| Meat | $1,103.61 |
| Fresh fruit | $1,949.28 |
| Sugar and sweets | $1,547.73 |