Prices are now 12.4x higher than in 1956
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, something that cost $100 in 1956 costs about $1,238.75 today. The inflation rate in 1956 was 1.5%, and total inflation from 1956 to September 2026 was 1,139%.
The federal minimum wage was $1.00 an hour at the end of 1956, or about $12.39 an hour in today's dollars.
The S&P 500 index started 1956 at 44.15. With dividends reinvested, $100 invested in the S&P 500 in 1956 would have grown to about $127,558.41 by 2026, before adjusting for inflation.
Some costs rose much faster than others. Compared with overall inflation, tobacco rose the most since 1956 (456% more than inflation), and clothing rose the least (75% less).
| All prices, on average | $1,238.75 |
| Food | $1,243.84 |
| Groceries | $1,079.36 |
| Restaurant meals | $1,749.66 |
| Eggs | $443.71 |
| Milk | $695.30 |
| Bread | $1,501.98 |
| Meat | $1,346.36 |
| Fresh fruit | $1,733.21 |
Cost of living in 1956 by category
The Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing average prices for individual items in 1980. For 1956, these comparisons use the consumer price index for each spending category: each row shows what something that cost $100 in 1956 costs in September 2026, and how that compares with overall inflation of 1,139%.
Food & drink
| Category | $100 in 1956 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $100 in 1956 today$1,243.84 | Compared with inflationsame as inflation |
| Groceries | $100 in 1956 today$1,079.36 | Compared with inflation13% less than inflation |
| Restaurant meals | $100 in 1956 today$1,749.66 | Compared with inflation41% more than inflation |
| Eggs | $100 in 1956 today$443.71 | Compared with inflation64% less than inflation |
| Milk | $100 in 1956 today$695.30 | Compared with inflation44% less than inflation |
| Bread | $100 in 1956 today$1,501.98 | Compared with inflation21% more than inflation |
| Meat | $100 in 1956 today$1,346.36 | Compared with inflation9% more than inflation |
| Fresh fruit | $100 in 1956 today$1,733.21 | Compared with inflation40% more than inflation |
| Sugar and sweets | $100 in 1956 today$1,492.28 | Compared with inflation20% more than inflation |
| Alcohol | $100 in 1956 today$735.39 | Compared with inflation41% less than inflation |
| Tobacco | $100 in 1956 today$6,887.26 | Compared with inflation456% more than inflation |
Housing & energy
| Category | $100 in 1956 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $100 in 1956 today$1,229.59 | Compared with inflation1% less than inflation |
| Electricity | $100 in 1956 today$1,069.42 | Compared with inflation14% less than inflation |
| Natural gas | $100 in 1956 today$1,805.51 | Compared with inflation46% more than inflation |
| Heating oil | $100 in 1956 today$3,625.01 | Compared with inflation193% more than inflation |
Transportation
| Category | $100 in 1956 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $100 in 1956 today$1,489.92 | Compared with inflation20% more than inflation |
| New cars | $100 in 1956 today$380.57 | Compared with inflation69% less than inflation |
| Used cars | $100 in 1956 today$872.91 | Compared with inflation30% less than inflation |
| Public transportation | $100 in 1956 today$1,514.18 | Compared with inflation22% more than inflation |
Other costs
| Category | $100 in 1956 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | $100 in 1956 today$311.84 | Compared with inflation75% less than inflation |
| Shoes | $100 in 1956 today$414.66 | Compared with inflation67% less than inflation |
| Medical care | $100 in 1956 today$3,133.91 | Compared with inflation153% more than inflation |
| Doctor visits | $100 in 1956 today$2,293.88 | Compared with inflation85% more than inflation |
| Prescription drugs | $100 in 1956 today$1,137.25 | Compared with inflation8% less than inflation |
| Personal care | $100 in 1956 today$968.09 | Compared with inflation22% less than inflation |
| Postage | $100 in 1956 today$2,219.32 | Compared with inflation79% more than inflation |
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1956 worth today?
$1 in 1956 has about the same buying power as $12.39 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.
What was the inflation rate in 1956?
The U.S. inflation rate in 1956 was 1.5%, measured as the change in the consumer price index from 1955 to 1956.
What was the minimum wage in 1956?
The federal minimum wage at the end of 1956 was $1.00 an hour, or about $12.39 an hour in today's dollars.
Which costs rose the most since 1956?
Of the spending categories tracked since 1956, tobacco rose the most relative to overall inflation: something that cost $100 in 1956 costs about $6,887.26 today. Clothing rose the least, to about $311.84.
Where these numbers come from
Category comparisons use the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index for each category, from the 1956 annual average to September 2026. Overall inflation uses the same consumer price index as our 1956 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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- 1928
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- 1944
- 1945
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- 1949
- 1950
- 1951
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- 1953
- 1954
- 1955
- 1956
- 1957
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- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
| All prices, on average | $1,238.75 |
| Food | $1,243.84 |
| Groceries | $1,079.36 |
| Restaurant meals | $1,749.66 |
| Eggs | $443.71 |
| Milk | $695.30 |
| Bread | $1,501.98 |
| Meat | $1,346.36 |
| Fresh fruit | $1,733.21 |