Prices are now 12.6x higher than in 1952
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, something that cost $100 in 1952 costs about $1,264.08 today. The inflation rate in 1952 was 1.9%, and total inflation from 1952 to August 2026 was 1,164%.
The federal minimum wage was $0.75 an hour at the end of 1952, or about $9.48 an hour in today's dollars.
The S&P 500 index started 1952 at 24.19. With dividends reinvested, $100 invested in the S&P 500 in 1952 would have grown to about $281,796.66 by 2026, before adjusting for inflation.
Some costs rose much faster than others. Compared with overall inflation, tobacco rose the most since 1952 (480% more than inflation), and clothing rose the least (75% less).
| All prices, on average | $1,264.08 |
| Food | $1,212.52 |
| Groceries | $1,037.43 |
| Eggs | $403.14 |
| Milk | $693.66 |
| Bread | $1,694.29 |
| Meat | $1,114.30 |
| Fresh fruit | $1,781.53 |
| Sugar and sweets | $1,534.23 |
Cost of living in 1952 by category
The Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing average prices for individual items in 1980. For 1952, these comparisons use the consumer price index for each spending category: each row shows what something that cost $100 in 1952 costs in August 2026, and how that compares with overall inflation of 1,164%.
Food & drink
| Category | $100 in 1952 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $100 in 1952 today$1,212.52 | Compared with inflation4% less than inflation |
| Groceries | $100 in 1952 today$1,037.43 | Compared with inflation18% less than inflation |
| Eggs | $100 in 1952 today$403.14 | Compared with inflation68% less than inflation |
| Milk | $100 in 1952 today$693.66 | Compared with inflation45% less than inflation |
| Bread | $100 in 1952 today$1,694.29 | Compared with inflation34% more than inflation |
| Meat | $100 in 1952 today$1,114.30 | Compared with inflation12% less than inflation |
| Fresh fruit | $100 in 1952 today$1,781.53 | Compared with inflation41% more than inflation |
| Sugar and sweets | $100 in 1952 today$1,534.23 | Compared with inflation21% more than inflation |
| Tobacco | $100 in 1952 today$7,330.48 | Compared with inflation480% more than inflation |
Housing & energy
| Category | $100 in 1952 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $100 in 1952 today$1,382.07 | Compared with inflation9% more than inflation |
| Electricity | $100 in 1952 today$1,103.27 | Compared with inflation13% less than inflation |
| Natural gas | $100 in 1952 today$2,008.23 | Compared with inflation59% more than inflation |
| Heating oil | $100 in 1952 today$4,037.59 | Compared with inflation219% more than inflation |
Transportation
| Category | $100 in 1952 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $100 in 1952 today$1,671.34 | Compared with inflation32% more than inflation |
| New cars | $100 in 1952 today$376.07 | Compared with inflation70% less than inflation |
| Public transportation | $100 in 1952 today$1,834.95 | Compared with inflation45% more than inflation |
Other costs
| Category | $100 in 1952 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | $100 in 1952 today$312.96 | Compared with inflation75% less than inflation |
| Shoes | $100 in 1952 today$443.66 | Compared with inflation65% less than inflation |
| Medical care | $100 in 1952 today$3,547.52 | Compared with inflation181% more than inflation |
| Doctor visits | $100 in 1952 today$2,582.60 | Compared with inflation104% more than inflation |
| Prescription drugs | $100 in 1952 today$1,215.34 | Compared with inflation4% less than inflation |
| Personal care | $100 in 1952 today$1,037.96 | Compared with inflation18% less than inflation |
| Postage | $100 in 1952 today$2,410.67 | Compared with inflation91% more than inflation |
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1952 worth today?
$1 in 1952 has about the same buying power as $12.64 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.
What was the inflation rate in 1952?
The U.S. inflation rate in 1952 was 1.9%, measured as the change in the consumer price index from 1951 to 1952.
What was the minimum wage in 1952?
The federal minimum wage at the end of 1952 was $0.75 an hour, or about $9.48 an hour in today's dollars.
Which costs rose the most since 1952?
Of the spending categories tracked since 1952, tobacco rose the most relative to overall inflation: something that cost $100 in 1952 costs about $7330.48 today. Clothing rose the least, to about $312.96.
Where these numbers come from
Category comparisons use the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index for each category, from the 1952 annual average to August 2026. Overall inflation uses the same consumer price index as our 1952 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
- 1933
- 1934
- 1935
- 1936
- 1937
- 1938
- 1939
- 1940
- 1941
- 1942
- 1943
- 1944
- 1945
- 1946
- 1947
- 1948
- 1949
- 1950
- 1951
- 1952
- 1953
- 1954
- 1955
- 1956
- 1957
- 1958
- 1959
- 1960
- 1961
- 1962
- 1963
- 1964
- 1965
- 1966
- 1967
- 1968
- 1969
- 1970
- 1971
- 1972
- 1973
- 1974
- 1975
- 1976
- 1977
- 1978
- 1979
- 1980
- 1981
- 1982
- 1983
- 1984
- 1985
- 1986
- 1987
- 1988
- 1989
- 1990
- 1991
- 1992
- 1993
- 1994
- 1995
- 1996
- 1997
- 1998
- 1999
- 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 | $1,264.08 |
| Food | $1,212.52 |
| Groceries | $1,037.43 |
| Eggs | $403.14 |
| Milk | $693.66 |
| Bread | $1,694.29 |
| Meat | $1,114.30 |
| Fresh fruit | $1,781.53 |
| Sugar and sweets | $1,534.23 |