Prices are now 15.0x higher than in 1947
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, something that cost $100 in 1947 costs about $1,502.15 today. The inflation rate in 1947 was 14.4%, and total inflation from 1947 to August 2026 was 1,402%.
The federal minimum wage was $0.40 an hour at the end of 1947, or about $6.01 an hour in today's dollars.
The S&P 500 index started 1947 at 15.21. With dividends reinvested, $100 invested in the S&P 500 in 1947 would have grown to about $609,171.86 by 2026, before adjusting for inflation.
Some costs rose much faster than others. Compared with overall inflation, tobacco rose the most since 1947 (494% more than inflation), and clothing rose the least (77% less).
| All prices, on average | $1,502.15 |
| Food | $1,447.72 |
| Groceries | $1,239.16 |
| Eggs | $387.67 |
| Milk | $836.74 |
| Bread | $2,173.06 |
| Meat | $1,408.69 |
| Fresh fruit | $1,934.41 |
| Sugar and sweets | $1,604.17 |
Cost of living in 1947 by category
The Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing average prices for individual items in 1980. For 1947, these comparisons use the consumer price index for each spending category: each row shows what something that cost $100 in 1947 costs in August 2026, and how that compares with overall inflation of 1,402%.
Food & drink
| Category | $100 in 1947 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $100 in 1947 today$1,447.72 | Compared with inflation4% less than inflation |
| Groceries | $100 in 1947 today$1,239.16 | Compared with inflation18% less than inflation |
| Eggs | $100 in 1947 today$387.67 | Compared with inflation74% less than inflation |
| Milk | $100 in 1947 today$836.74 | Compared with inflation44% less than inflation |
| Bread | $100 in 1947 today$2,173.06 | Compared with inflation45% more than inflation |
| Meat | $100 in 1947 today$1,408.69 | Compared with inflation6% less than inflation |
| Fresh fruit | $100 in 1947 today$1,934.41 | Compared with inflation29% more than inflation |
| Sugar and sweets | $100 in 1947 today$1,604.17 | Compared with inflation7% more than inflation |
| Tobacco | $100 in 1947 today$8,915.45 | Compared with inflation494% more than inflation |
Housing & energy
| Category | $100 in 1947 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $100 in 1947 today$1,726.36 | Compared with inflation15% more than inflation |
| Electricity | $100 in 1947 today$1,147.18 | Compared with inflation24% less than inflation |
| Natural gas | $100 in 1947 today$2,206.30 | Compared with inflation47% more than inflation |
| Heating oil | $100 in 1947 today$5,429.07 | Compared with inflation261% more than inflation |
Transportation
| Category | $100 in 1947 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $100 in 1947 today$2,056.24 | Compared with inflation37% more than inflation |
| Public transportation | $100 in 1947 today$2,935.30 | Compared with inflation95% more than inflation |
Other costs
| Category | $100 in 1947 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | $100 in 1947 today$341.16 | Compared with inflation77% less than inflation |
| Shoes | $100 in 1947 today$541.84 | Compared with inflation64% less than inflation |
| Medical care | $100 in 1947 today$4,374.91 | Compared with inflation191% more than inflation |
| Personal care | $100 in 1947 today$1,189.51 | Compared with inflation21% less than inflation |
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1947 worth today?
$1 in 1947 has about the same buying power as $15.02 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.
What was the inflation rate in 1947?
The U.S. inflation rate in 1947 was 14.4%, measured as the change in the consumer price index from 1946 to 1947.
What was the minimum wage in 1947?
The federal minimum wage at the end of 1947 was $0.40 an hour, or about $6.01 an hour in today's dollars.
Which costs rose the most since 1947?
Of the spending categories tracked since 1947, tobacco rose the most relative to overall inflation: something that cost $100 in 1947 costs about $8915.45 today. Clothing rose the least, to about $341.16.
Where these numbers come from
Category comparisons use the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index for each category, from the 1947 annual average to August 2026. Overall inflation uses the same consumer price index as our 1947 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
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- 1945
- 1946
- 1947
- 1948
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- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
| All prices, on average | $1,502.15 |
| Food | $1,447.72 |
| Groceries | $1,239.16 |
| Eggs | $387.67 |
| Milk | $836.74 |
| Bread | $2,173.06 |
| Meat | $1,408.69 |
| Fresh fruit | $1,934.41 |
| Sugar and sweets | $1,604.17 |