America at 250: What a Dollar Could Buy in the Year Each State Joined the Union
There’s little you can buy with $1 in 2026. Bringing a dollar to the grocery store covers the cost of a few bananas or packages of ramen noodles these days. It’s not enough money to shop at Dollar Tree (where prices start at $1.25) or even grab the hot dog and soda combo from the Costco food court (you’ll need $1.50 for that duo).
Step back in time, however, and see how far this humble sum of currency used to go in America. A new MoneyLion study reveals you could buy 10 pounds of meat, quarts of wine and rum, fresh produce like oranges and potatoes and more using just $1.
MoneyLion identified the year each state entered the Union using data from the National Conference of State Legislators. From there, we studied the historical average prices for various goods to showcase the value of what a dollar could buy the year each state joined the union.
Key Findings
In seven states -- all of which joined the Union in the 1840s and 1850s -- it now requires at least $40 to meet the value of $1 from the year they were admitted. Texas and Florida (both admitted in 1845) have seen the highest inflation, with $1 now buying about 2.3% of what it could buy in 1845.
A dollar bought 10 pounds of meat in seven states after they joined the union. This was enough money to buy pork in North Carolina (1789), beef in Alabama (1819), bacon in Missouri and Iowa (1821 and 1846), ham in Michigan (1837), lamb in California (1850) and pork chops in Washington (1889).
A dollar paid for (a lot of) eggs and butter when North Dakota and South Dakota joined the union. You could buy five dozen eggs and 4 pounds of butter in North and South Dakota circa 1889.
You could buy 4 quarts of wine for $1 in Texas, Florida and Wisconsin when these states became part of the U.S. in 1845 and 1848. Today, wine sold in boxes and jugs (like the Franzia and Carlo Rossi brands) are closer to $20 apiece.
What could $1 buy when Alaska and Hawaii joined the union in 1959? This money was enough for one gallon of delivered milk, 5 pounds of bread or three cans of tomatoes. A gallon of milk costs as much as $6 to $8 in Alaska and Hawaii in 2026 -- and it doesn’t come delivered.
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Take a look at what $1 could buy in the year every state joined the union.
1. Delaware
Date the state joined the union: Dec. 7, 1787
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $35.81
What $1 could buy in 1787: 1/5 cord of wood or 4 ounces of cinnamon
2. Pennsylvania
Date the state joined the union: Dec. 12, 1787
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $35.81
What $1 could buy in 1787: 1/5 cord of wood or 4 ounces of cinnamon
3. New Jersey
Date the state joined the union: Dec. 18, 1787
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $35.81
What $1 could buy in 1787: 1/5 cord of wood or 4 ounces of cinnamon
4. Georgia
Date the state joined the union: Jan. 2, 1788
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $37.42
What $1 could buy in 1788: 1/2 cord of wood or 3 ounces of nutmeg or 4 pounds of candles
5. Connecticut
Date the state joined the union: Jan. 9, 1788
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $37.42
What $1 could buy in 1788: 1/2 cord of wood or 3 ounces of nutmeg or 4 pounds of candles
6. Massachusetts
Date the state joined the union: Feb. 6, 1788
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $37.42
What $1 could buy in 1788: 1/2 cord of wood or 3 ounces of nutmeg or 4 pounds of candles
7. Maryland
Date the state joined the union: April 28, 1788
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $37.42
What $1 could buy in 1788: 1/2 cord of wood or 3 ounces of nutmeg or 4 pounds of candles
8. South Carolina
Date the state joined the union: May 23, 1788
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $37.42
What $1 could buy in 1788: 1/2 cord of wood or 3 ounces of nutmeg or 4 pounds of candles
9. New Hampshire
Date the state joined the union: June 21, 1788
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $37.42
What $1 could buy in 1788: 1/2 cord of wood or 3 ounces of nutmeg or 4 pounds of candles
10. Virginia
Date the state joined the union: June 25, 1788
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $37.42
What $1 could buy in 1788: 1/2 cord of wood or 3 ounces of nutmeg or 4 pounds of candles
11. New York
Date the state joined the union: July 26, 1788
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $37.42
What $1 could buy in 1788: 1/2 cord of wood or 3 ounces of nutmeg or 4 pounds of candles
12. North Carolina
Date the state joined the union: Nov. 21, 1789
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $37.84
What $1 could buy in 1789: 10 pounds of pork
13. Rhode Island
Date the state joined the union: May 29, 1790
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $36.20
What $1 could buy in 1790: 4 1/2 pounds of ham or 12 pounds of tobacco
14. Vermont
Date the state joined the union: March 4, 1791
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $35.43
What $1 could buy in 1791: 3 pounds of beef
15. Kentucky
Date the state joined the union: June 1, 1792
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $34.69
What $1 could buy in 1792: 10 gallons of cider or 114 sheets of paper
16. Tennessee
Date the state joined the union: June 1, 1796
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $25.23
What $1 could buy in 1796: 1/5 cord of wood
17. Ohio
Date the state joined the union: March 1, 1803
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $29.47
What $1 could buy in 1803: Two dozen lemons or five pounds of raisins
18. Louisiana
Date the state joined the union: April 30, 1812
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $25.04
What $1 could buy in 1812: 3 feet of wood or 4 pounds of raisins
19. Indiana
Date the state joined the union: Dec. 11, 1816
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $23.62
What $1 could buy in 1816: 4 pounds of figs or two dozen lemons or 10 gallons of cider
20. Mississippi
Date the state joined the union: Dec. 10, 1817
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $25.04
What $1 could buy in 1817: 5 pounds of figs or 20 gallons of cider
21. Illinois
Date the state joined the union: Dec. 3, 1818
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $26.22
What $1 could buy in 1818: Five pounds of figs or 16 oranges
22. Alabama
Date the state joined the union: Dec. 14, 1819
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $26.22
What $1 could buy in 1819: 10 pounds of beef or five knives and forks
23. Maine
Date the state joined the union: March 15, 1820
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $28.46
What $1 could buy in 1820: 10 pounds of raisins or 1/2 yard of cassimere
24. Missouri
Date the state joined the union: Aug. 10, 1821
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $29.47
What $1 could buy in 1821: 5 pounds of currants or 5 gallons of cider or 10 pounds of bacon
25. Arkansas
Date the state joined the union: June 15, 1836
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $35.81
What $1 could buy in 1836: 10 quarts of rum or four dozen lemons
26. Michigan
Date the state joined the union: Jan. 26, 1837
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $34.69
What $1 could buy in 1837: 10 pounds of ham or two dozen oranges
27. Florida
Date the state joined the union: March 3, 1845
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $43.82
What $1 could buy in 1845: 4 quarts of wine
28. Texas
Date the state joined the union: Dec. 29, 1845
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $43.82
What $1 could buy in 1845: 4 quarts of wine
29. Iowa
Date the state joined the union: Dec. 28, 1846
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $43.25
What $1 could buy in 1846: 10 pounds of bacon
30. Wisconsin
Date the state joined the union: May 29, 1848
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $42.15
What $1 could buy in 1848: 4 quarts of wine
31. California
Date the state joined the union: Sept. 9, 1850
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $42.69
What $1 could buy in 1850: 10 pounds of lamb
32. Minnesota
Date the state joined the union: May 11, 1858
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $40.61
What $1 could buy in 1858: 8 pounds of ham
33. Oregon
Date the state joined the union: Feb. 14, 1859
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $40.12
What $1 could buy in 1859: 5 pounds of currants or five dozen oranges
34. Kansas
Date the state joined the union: Jan. 29, 1861
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $37.84
What $1 could buy in 1861: 8 pounds of mutton chops or 1/2 day of work for an engineer
35. West Virginia
Date the state joined the union: June 20, 1863
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $26.43
What $1 could buy in 1863: 1/2 pound of sausages
36. Nevada
Date the state joined the union: Oct. 31, 1864
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $21.21
What $1 could buy in 1864: 3 pounds of cornmeal
37. Nebraska
Date the state joined the union: March 1, 1867
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $22.50
What $1 could buy in 1867: One day of work for a dress spooler
38. Colorado
Date the state joined the union: Aug. 1, 1876
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $31.12
What $1 could buy in 1876: 1/2 pound of corned beef
39. North Dakota
Date the state joined the union: Nov. 2, 1889
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $36.20
What $1 could buy in 1889: Five dozen eggs
40. South Dakota
Date the state joined the union: Nov. 2, 1889
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $36.20
What $1 could buy in 1889: 4 pounds of butter
41. Montana
Date the state joined the union: Nov. 8, 1889
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $36.20
What $1 could buy in 1889: 8 pounds of bacon
42. Washington
Date the state joined the union: Nov. 11, 1889
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $36.20
What $1 could buy in 1889: 10 pounds of pork chops
43. Wyoming
Date the state joined the union: July 10, 1890
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $36.60
What $1 could buy in 1890: 8 pounds of round steak
44. Idaho
Date the state joined the union: July 3, 1890
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $36.60
What $1 could buy in 1890: 33 pounds of flour
45. Utah
Date the state joined the union: Jan. 4, 1896
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $39.65
What $1 could buy in 1896: 83 pounds of potatoes
46. Oklahoma
Date the state joined the union: Nov. 16, 1907
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $35.43
What $1 could buy in 1907: 5 pounds of bacon
47. New Mexico
Date the state joined the union: Jan. 6, 1912
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $34.33
What $1 could buy in 1912: 16 pounds of sugar
48. Arizona
Date the state joined the union: Feb. 14, 1912
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $34.33
What $1 could buy in 1912: 28 1/2 pounds of flour
49. Alaska
Date the state joined the union: Jan. 3, 1959
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $11.44
What $1 could buy in 1959: 1 gallon of milk (delivered) or 5 pounds of bread or three cans of tomatoes
50. Hawaii
Date the state joined the union: Aug. 21, 1959
Value of $1 in 2026 dollars: $11.44
What $1 could buy in 1959: 1 gallon of milk (delivered) or 5 pounds of bread or three cans of tomatoes
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Methodology: For this study, MoneyLion analyzed each state to find the date each state joined the union and what a dollar could buy in that year. Using the National Conference of State Legislators, the year each state joined the union was found. Using the historical average prices for various goods, the value of what a dollar could buy each year the state joined the union was sourced. The states were sorted to show the states that joined the union first. All data is up to date as of June 18, 2026.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.