$1 in 1650 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $47.54 in 2021, an increase of $46.54 over 371 years. The dollar had an average inflation rate of 1.05% per year between 1650 and 2021, producing a cumulative price increase of 4,653.86%.
This means that prices in 2021 are 47.54 times as high as average prices since 1650, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.
The inflation rate in 1650 was -46.73%. The inflation rate in 2021 was 4.70%. The 2021 inflation rate is lower compared to the average inflation rate of 5.10% per year between 2021 and 2024.
This chart shows a calculation of buying power equivalence for $1 in 1650 (price index tracking began in 1635).
For example, if you started with $1, you would need to end with $47.54 in order to "adjust" for inflation (sometimes refered to as "beating inflation").
When $1 is equivalent to $47.54 over time, that means that the "real value" of a single U.S. dollar decreases over time. In other words, a dollar will pay for fewer items at the store.
This effect explains how inflation erodes the value of a dollar over time. By calculating the value in 1650 dollars, the chart below shows how $1 is worth less over 371 years.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, each of these USD amounts below is equal in terms of what it could buy at the time:
Dollar inflation: 1650-2021
Year
Dollar Value
Inflation Rate
1650
$1.00
-46.73%
1651
$1.33
33.33%
1652
$1.05
-21.05%
1653
$1.37
30.00%
1654
$1.37
0.00%
1655
$1.32
-3.85%
1656
$1.30
-1.33%
1657
$1.05
-18.92%
1658
$0.68
-35.00%
1659
$0.77
12.82%
1660
$0.88
13.64%
1661
$0.74
-16.00%
1662
$0.79
7.14%
1663
$0.79
0.00%
1664
$0.79
0.00%
1665
$0.67
-15.56%
1666
$0.67
0.00%
1667
$0.72
7.89%
1668
$0.75
4.88%
1669
$0.70
-6.98%
1670
$0.70
0.00%
1671
$0.70
0.00%
1672
$0.70
0.00%
1673
$0.68
-2.50%
1674
$0.72
5.13%
1675
$0.63
-12.20%
1676
$0.65
2.78%
1677
$0.67
2.70%
1678
$0.63
-5.26%
1679
$0.63
0.00%
1680
$0.74
16.67%
1681
$0.77
4.76%
1682
$0.65
-15.91%
1683
$0.65
0.00%
1684
$0.65
0.00%
1685
$0.72
10.81%
1686
$0.67
-7.32%
1687
$0.67
0.00%
1688
$0.61
-7.89%
1689
$0.63
2.86%
1690
$0.65
2.78%
1691
$0.68
5.41%
1692
$0.63
-7.69%
1693
$0.60
-5.56%
1694
$0.63
5.88%
1695
$0.60
-5.56%
1696
$0.70
17.65%
1697
$0.70
0.00%
1698
$0.67
-5.00%
1699
$0.74
10.53%
1700
$0.72
-2.38%
1701
$0.75
4.88%
1702
$0.68
-9.30%
1703
$0.68
0.00%
1704
$0.81
17.95%
1705
$0.74
-8.70%
1706
$0.79
7.14%
1707
$0.75
-4.44%
1708
$0.63
-16.28%
1709
$0.79
25.00%
1710
$0.72
-8.89%
1711
$0.70
-2.44%
1712
$0.67
-5.00%
1713
$0.72
7.89%
1714
$0.65
-9.76%
1715
$0.77
18.92%
1716
$0.72
-6.82%
1717
$0.79
9.76%
1718
$0.72
-8.89%
1719
$0.79
9.76%
1720
$0.74
-6.67%
1721
$0.70
-4.76%
1722
$0.72
2.50%
1723
$0.74
2.44%
1724
$0.75
2.38%
1725
$0.88
16.28%
1726
$0.82
-6.00%
1727
$0.88
6.38%
1728
$0.81
-8.00%
1729
$0.81
0.00%
1730
$0.81
0.00%
1731
$0.74
-8.70%
1732
$0.67
-9.52%
1733
$0.68
2.63%
1734
$0.67
-2.56%
1735
$0.70
5.26%
1736
$0.67
-5.00%
1737
$0.70
5.26%
1738
$0.72
2.50%
1739
$0.65
-9.76%
1740
$0.68
5.41%
1741
$1.14
66.67%
1742
$1.02
-10.77%
1743
$0.91
-10.34%
1744
$0.84
-7.69%
1745
$0.81
-4.17%
1746
$0.84
4.35%
1747
$0.93
10.42%
1748
$1.11
18.87%
1749
$1.12
1.59%
1750
$1.12
0.00%
1751
$1.12
0.00%
1752
$1.16
3.12%
1753
$1.12
-3.03%
1754
$1.07
-4.69%
1755
$1.05
-1.64%
1756
$1.02
-3.33%
1757
$1.09
6.90%
1758
$1.18
8.06%
1759
$1.39
17.91%
1760
$1.33
-3.80%
1761
$1.21
-9.21%
1762
$1.32
8.70%
1763
$1.32
0.00%
1764
$1.23
-6.67%
1765
$1.26
2.86%
1766
$1.35
6.94%
1767
$1.33
-1.30%
1768
$1.26
-5.26%
1769
$1.33
5.56%
1770
$1.44
7.89%
1771
$1.37
-4.88%
1772
$1.60
16.67%
1773
$1.51
-5.49%
1774
$1.42
-5.81%
1775
$1.35
-4.94%
1776
$1.53
12.99%
1777
$1.86
21.84%
1778
$2.42
30.19%
1779
$2.14
-11.59%
1780
$2.40
12.30%
1781
$1.95
-18.98%
1782
$2.12
9.01%
1783
$1.86
-12.40%
1784
$1.79
-3.77%
1785
$1.70
-4.90%
1786
$1.67
-2.06%
1787
$1.63
-2.11%
1788
$1.56
-4.30%
1789
$1.54
-1.12%
1790
$1.61
4.55%
1791
$1.65
2.17%
1792
$1.68
2.13%
1793
$1.74
3.13%
1794
$1.93
11.11%
1795
$2.21
14.55%
1796
$2.32
4.76%
1797
$2.23
-3.79%
1798
$2.16
-3.15%
1799
$2.16
0.00%
1800
$2.21
2.44%
1801
$2.23
0.79%
1802
$1.88
-15.75%
1803
$1.98
5.61%
1804
$2.07
4.42%
1805
$2.05
-0.85%
1806
$2.14
4.27%
1807
$2.04
-4.92%
1808
$2.21
8.62%
1809
$2.16
-2.38%
1810
$2.16
0.00%
1811
$2.30
6.50%
1812
$2.33
1.53%
1813
$2.81
20.30%
1814
$3.09
10.00%
1815
$2.70
-12.50%
1816
$2.47
-8.44%
1817
$2.33
-5.67%
1818
$2.23
-4.51%
1819
$2.23
0.00%
1820
$2.05
-7.87%
1821
$1.98
-3.42%
1822
$2.05
3.54%
1823
$1.84
-10.26%
1824
$1.70
-7.62%
1825
$1.74
2.06%
1826
$1.74
0.00%
1827
$1.75
1.01%
1828
$1.67
-5.00%
1829
$1.63
-2.11%
1830
$1.61
-1.08%
1831
$1.53
-5.43%
1832
$1.51
-1.15%
1833
$1.47
-2.33%
1834
$1.51
2.38%
1835
$1.54
2.33%
1836
$1.63
5.68%
1837
$1.68
3.23%
1838
$1.63
-3.12%
1839
$1.63
0.00%
1840
$1.53
-6.45%
1841
$1.53
0.00%
1842
$1.44
-5.75%
1843
$1.30
-9.76%
1844
$1.32
1.35%
1845
$1.33
1.33%
1846
$1.35
1.32%
1847
$1.44
6.49%
1848
$1.39
-3.66%
1849
$1.35
-2.53%
1850
$1.37
1.30%
1851
$1.35
-1.28%
1852
$1.35
0.00%
1853
$1.35
0.00%
1854
$1.47
9.09%
1855
$1.53
3.57%
1856
$1.49
-2.30%
1857
$1.53
2.35%
1858
$1.44
-5.75%
1859
$1.46
1.22%
1860
$1.46
0.00%
1861
$1.54
6.02%
1862
$1.77
14.77%
1863
$2.21
24.75%
1864
$2.75
24.60%
1865
$2.86
3.82%
1866
$2.79
-2.45%
1867
$2.60
-6.92%
1868
$2.49
-4.05%
1869
$2.39
-4.23%
1870
$2.30
-3.68%
1871
$2.14
-6.87%
1872
$2.14
0.00%
1873
$2.11
-1.64%
1874
$2.00
-5.00%
1875
$1.93
-3.51%
1876
$1.88
-2.73%
1877
$1.84
-1.87%
1878
$1.75
-4.76%
1879
$1.75
0.00%
1880
$1.79
2.00%
1881
$1.79
0.00%
1882
$1.79
0.00%
1883
$1.77
-0.98%
1884
$1.72
-2.97%
1885
$1.70
-1.02%
1886
$1.65
-3.09%
1887
$1.67
1.06%
1888
$1.67
0.00%
1889
$1.61
-3.16%
1890
$1.60
-1.09%
1891
$1.60
0.00%
1892
$1.60
0.00%
1893
$1.58
-1.10%
1894
$1.51
-4.44%
1895
$1.47
-2.33%
1896
$1.47
0.00%
1897
$1.46
-1.19%
1898
$1.46
0.00%
1899
$1.46
0.00%
1900
$1.47
1.20%
1901
$1.49
1.19%
1902
$1.51
1.18%
1903
$1.54
2.33%
1904
$1.56
1.14%
1905
$1.54
-1.12%
1906
$1.58
2.27%
1907
$1.65
4.44%
1908
$1.61
-2.13%
1909
$1.60
-1.09%
1910
$1.67
4.40%
1911
$1.67
0.00%
1912
$1.70
2.11%
1913
$1.74
2.06%
1914
$1.75
1.01%
1915
$1.77
1.00%
1916
$1.91
7.92%
1917
$2.25
17.43%
1918
$2.65
17.97%
1919
$3.04
14.57%
1920
$3.51
15.61%
1921
$3.14
-10.50%
1922
$2.95
-6.15%
1923
$3.00
1.79%
1924
$3.00
0.00%
1925
$3.07
2.34%
1926
$3.11
1.14%
1927
$3.05
-1.69%
1928
$3.00
-1.72%
1929
$3.00
0.00%
1930
$2.93
-2.34%
1931
$2.67
-8.98%
1932
$2.40
-9.87%
1933
$2.28
-5.11%
1934
$2.35
3.08%
1935
$2.40
2.24%
1936
$2.44
1.46%
1937
$2.53
3.60%
1938
$2.47
-2.08%
1939
$2.44
-1.42%
1940
$2.46
0.72%
1941
$2.58
5.00%
1942
$2.86
10.88%
1943
$3.04
6.13%
1944
$3.09
1.73%
1945
$3.16
2.27%
1946
$3.42
8.33%
1947
$3.91
14.36%
1948
$4.23
8.07%
1949
$4.18
-1.24%
1950
$4.23
1.26%
1951
$4.56
7.88%
1952
$4.65
1.92%
1953
$4.68
0.75%
1954
$4.72
0.75%
1955
$4.70
-0.37%
1956
$4.77
1.49%
1957
$4.93
3.31%
1958
$5.07
2.85%
1959
$5.11
0.69%
1960
$5.19
1.72%
1961
$5.25
1.01%
1962
$5.30
1.00%
1963
$5.37
1.32%
1964
$5.44
1.31%
1965
$5.53
1.61%
1966
$5.68
2.86%
1967
$5.86
3.09%
1968
$6.11
4.19%
1969
$6.44
5.46%
1970
$6.81
5.72%
1971
$7.11
4.38%
1972
$7.33
3.21%
1973
$7.79
6.22%
1974
$8.65
11.04%
1975
$9.44
9.13%
1976
$9.98
5.76%
1977
$10.63
6.50%
1978
$11.44
7.59%
1979
$12.74
11.35%
1980
$14.46
13.50%
1981
$15.95
10.32%
1982
$16.93
6.16%
1983
$17.47
3.21%
1984
$18.23
4.32%
1985
$18.88
3.56%
1986
$19.23
1.86%
1987
$19.93
3.65%
1988
$20.75
4.14%
1989
$21.75
4.82%
1990
$22.93
5.40%
1991
$23.89
4.21%
1992
$24.61
3.01%
1993
$25.35
2.99%
1994
$26.00
2.56%
1995
$26.74
2.83%
1996
$27.53
2.95%
1997
$28.16
2.29%
1998
$28.60
1.56%
1999
$29.23
2.21%
2000
$30.21
3.36%
2001
$31.07
2.85%
2002
$31.56
1.58%
2003
$32.28
2.28%
2004
$33.14
2.66%
2005
$34.26
3.39%
2006
$35.37
3.23%
2007
$36.38
2.85%
2008
$37.77
3.84%
2009
$37.64
-0.36%
2010
$38.26
1.64%
2011
$39.46
3.16%
2012
$40.28
2.07%
2013
$40.87
1.46%
2014
$41.53
1.62%
2015
$41.58
0.12%
2016
$42.11
1.26%
2017
$43.00
2.13%
2018
$44.08
2.49%
2019
$44.85
1.76%
2020
$45.41
1.23%
2021
$47.54
4.70%
2022
$51.34
8.00%
2023
$53.46
4.12%
2024
$55.18
3.23%*
* Compared to previous annual rate. Not final. See inflation summary for latest 12-month trailing value.
Click to show 365 more rows
This conversion table shows various other 1650 amounts in 2021 dollars, based on the 4,653.86% change in prices:
Conversion: 1650 dollars in 2021
Initial value
Equivalent value
$1 dollar in 1650
$47.54 dollars in 2021
$5 dollars in 1650
$237.69 dollars in 2021
$10 dollars in 1650
$475.39 dollars in 2021
$50 dollars in 1650
$2,376.93 dollars in 2021
$100 dollars in 1650
$4,753.86 dollars in 2021
$500 dollars in 1650
$23,769.31 dollars in 2021
$1,000 dollars in 1650
$47,538.63 dollars in 2021
$5,000 dollars in 1650
$237,693.13 dollars in 2021
$10,000 dollars in 1650
$475,386.26 dollars in 2021
$50,000 dollars in 1650
$2,376,931.29 dollars in 2021
$100,000 dollars in 1650
$4,753,862.57 dollars in 2021
$500,000 dollars in 1650
$23,769,312.87 dollars in 2021
$1,000,000 dollars in 1650
$47,538,625.73 dollars in 2021
Inflation by Spending Category
CPI is the weighted combination of many categories of spending that are tracked by the government. Breaking down these categories helps explain the main drivers behind price changes.
This chart shows the average rate of inflation for select CPI categories between 1650 and 2021.
Compare these values to the overall average of 1.05% per year:
The graph below compares inflation in categories of goods over time. Click on a category such as "Food" to toggle it on or off:
For all these visualizations, it's important to note that not all categories may have been tracked since 1650. This table and charts use the earliest available data for each category.
How to calculate inflation rate for $1, 1650 to 2021
Our calculations use the following inflation rate formula to calculate the change in value between 1650 and 2021:
CPI in 2021CPI in 1650
×
1650 USD value
=
2021 USD value
Then plug in historical CPI values. The U.S. CPI was 5.7 in the year 1650 and 270.97016666667 in 2021:
270.970166666675.7
×
$1
=
$47.54
$1 in 1650 has the same "purchasing power" or "buying power" as $47.54 in 2021.
To get the total inflation rate for the 371 years between 1650 and 2021, we use the following formula:
CPI in 2021 - CPI in 1650CPI in 1650
×
100
=
Cumulative inflation rate (371 years)
Plugging in the values to this equation, we get:
270.97016666667 - 5.75.7
×
100
=
4,654%
Data source & citation
Raw data for these calculations comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index(CPI), established in 1913. Price index data from 1774 to 1912 is sourced from a historical study conducted by political science professor Robert Sahr at Oregon State University and from the American Antiquarian Society. Price index data from 1634 to 1773 is from the American Antiquarian Society, using British pound equivalents.
You may use the following MLA citation for this page: “$1 in 1650 → 2021 | Inflation Calculator.” Official Inflation Data, Alioth Finance, 7 Sep. 2024, https://www.officialdata.org/us/inflation/1650?amount=1&endYear=2021.
Special thanks to QuickChart for their chart image API, which is used for chart downloads.
Ian Webster is an engineer and data expert based in San Mateo, California. He has worked for Google, NASA, and consulted for governments around the world on data pipelines and data analysis. Disappointed by the lack of clear resources on the impacts of inflation on economic indicators, Ian believes this website serves as a valuable public tool. Ian earned his degree in Computer Science from Dartmouth College.