$1,000 in 1974 is worth how much today?

$6,833.33 in Sep 2026 dollars

$1,000 in 1974 had the same purchasing power as $6,833.33 in Sep 2026. Prices are 6.83× higher, so a dollar from 1974 buys what about $6.83 buys today. Put the other way, $1,000 held as cash since 1974 has lost about 85% of its buying power. Inflation in 1974 was 11.1%. 1974 is remembered for double-digit inflation after the oil embargo. Over the following decade, prices rose 102%.

BLS average item prices start around 1980, so item-by-item comparisons aren't available for 1974. Browse item price histories for later years.

To earn the same today

Someone earning $1,000 a month in 1974 would need about $6,833.33 a month in Sep 2026 to keep the same standard of living, based on CPI-U.

Other amounts: $100 · $10,000 · full 1974 inflation table
Nearby years: 1965 · 1969 · 1970 · 1973 · 1975 · 1979 · 1980 · 1982