Summary of US Millionaire Data Value of a Million Dollars each Year 1850 to 2003 in Dollars of 2002 $25,000,000 Read this graph as follows: $1 million in 1850 would $20,000,000 equal in value approximately $22 million in 2002. $15,000,000 $10,000,000 $5,000,000 $0 1850 1860 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 Note: Data prior to 1913 should be considered approximations, so seemingly sharp fluctuations during the 1800s may be exaggerated. Calculations for 1850 to 1912 use data adapted from John J. McCusker, "How Much Is That in Real Money?," Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society (2001), Table A-1. Calculations starting 1913 are based on CPI data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. summill.pdf © Robert C. Sahr, Political Science Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-6206 06/10/03 e-mail:
[email protected]; WWW: http://www.orst.edu/Dept/pol_sci/fac/sahr/sahrhome.html Summary of US Millionaire Data, page 2 Dollars Needed to Equal in Value $1 Million in the Year 2002 for each Year 1850 to 2003 $1,100,000 $1,000,000 $900,000 $800,000 $700,000 Read this graph as follows: To equal the $600,000 value of $1 million in dollars of the year 2002 would have required about $45,000 in 1850. $500,000 $400,000 $300,000 $200,000 $100,000 $0 1850 1860 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 Note: Data prior to 1913 should be considered approximations, so seemingly sharp fluctuations during the 1800s may be exaggerated.