An average non-premium MLB ticket costs $39.50 in the U.S. as of September 2026. In 1950 it cost $1.50, or $20.87 in today’s dollars. Adjusted for inflation, a ticket costs 89% more today than in 1950.
Price at the time In September 2026 dollars
U.S. average non-premium seat. ≈ marks estimates between data points.
| Year | Price | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | $1.50 | $20.87 |
| 1951 | ≈$1.52 | ≈$19.60 |
| 1952 | ≈$1.54 | ≈$19.40 |
| 1953 | ≈$1.56 | ≈$19.51 |
| 1954 | ≈$1.58 | ≈$19.76 |
| 1955 | $1.60 | $20.02 |
| 1956 | ≈$1.67 | ≈$20.62 |
| 1957 | ≈$1.75 | ≈$20.87 |
| 1958 | ≈$1.83 | ≈$21.22 |
| 1959 | ≈$1.91 | ≈$21.96 |
| 1960 | $2.00 | $22.66 |
| 1961 | ≈$2.06 | ≈$23.06 |
| 1962 | ≈$2.11 | ≈$23.48 |
| 1963 | ≈$2.17 | ≈$23.83 |
| 1964 | ≈$2.24 | ≈$24.19 |
| 1965 | $2.30 | $24.48 |
| 1966 | ≈$2.38 | ≈$24.59 |
| 1967 | ≈$2.47 | ≈$24.80 |
| 1968 | ≈$2.56 | ≈$24.67 |
| 1969 | ≈$2.65 | ≈$24.24 |
| 1970 | $2.75 | $23.76 |
| 1971 | ≈$2.85 | ≈$23.61 |
| 1972 | ≈$2.96 | ≈$23.73 |
| 1973 | ≈$3.07 | ≈$23.17 |
| 1974 | ≈$3.18 | ≈$21.64 |
| 1975 | $3.30 | $20.57 |
| 1976 | ≈$3.51 | ≈$20.69 |
| 1977 | ≈$3.74 | ≈$20.67 |
| 1978 | ≈$3.97 | ≈$20.44 |
| 1979 | ≈$4.23 | ≈$19.53 |
| 1980 | $4.50 | $18.31 |
| 1981 | ≈$4.77 | ≈$17.58 |
| 1982 | ≈$5.05 | ≈$17.54 |
| 1983 | ≈$5.35 | ≈$18.00 |
| 1984 | ≈$5.66 | ≈$18.28 |
| 1985 | $6.00 | $18.70 |
| 1986 | ≈$6.44 | ≈$19.69 |
| 1987 | ≈$6.90 | ≈$20.38 |
| 1988 | ≈$7.41 | ≈$20.99 |
| 1989 | ≈$7.94 | ≈$21.48 |
| 1990 | ≈$8.52 | ≈$21.86 |
| 1991 | $9.14 | $22.50 |
| 1992 | ≈$9.56 | ≈$22.84 |
| 1993 | ≈$9.99 | ≈$23.19 |
| 1994 | $10.45 | $23.64 |
| 1995 | ≈$10.88 | ≈$23.93 |
| 1996 | $11.32 | $24.21 |
| 1997 | ≈$12.41 | ≈$25.92 |
| 1998 | $13.60 | $27.98 |
| 1999 | ≈$14.85 | ≈$29.89 |
| 2000 | $16.22 | $31.58 |
| 2001 | ≈$17.23 | ≈$32.62 |
| 2002 | $18.30 | $34.11 |
| 2003 | ≈$19.04 | ≈$34.71 |
| 2004 | $19.82 | $35.18 |
| 2005 | ≈$20.98 | ≈$36.02 |
| 2006 | $22.21 | $36.94 |
| 2007 | ≈$23.75 | ≈$38.42 |
| 2008 | $25.40 | $39.56 |
| 2009 | ≈$26.06 | ≈$40.74 |
| 2010 | $26.74 | $41.11 |
| 2011 | ≈$26.86 | ≈$40.04 |
| 2012 | $26.98 | $39.40 |
| 2013 | ≈$27.45 | ≈$39.50 |
| 2014 | $27.93 | $39.56 |
| 2015 | $28.94 | $40.94 |
| 2016 | $31.00 | $43.31 |
| 2017 | ≈$31.71 | ≈$43.38 |
| 2018 | $32.44 | $43.32 |
| 2019 | $32.99 | $43.26 |
| 2020 | ≈$33.49 | ≈$43.42 |
| 2021 | ≈$33.99 | ≈$41.83 |
| 2022 | $34.50 | $39.04 |
| 2023 | $35.50 | $38.97 |
| 2024 | $36.80 | $39.25 |
| 2025 | $38.20 | $39.67 |
| Sep 2026 (latest) | $39.50 | $39.50 |
Among the 2,314 U.S. places with at least 20,000 people, as of September 2026. The nearest MLB team’s average ticket, within 150 miles; elsewhere, scaled by the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the metro area, or the rural part of the state outside metros.
| Boston, MA | $63.20 |
| Worcester, MA | $63.20 |
| Providence, RI | $63.20 |
| Springfield, MA | $63.20 |
| Hartford, CT | $63.20 |
| Mayfield Heights, OH | $29.63 |
| Englewood, FL | $29.63 |
| Punta Gorda, FL | $29.63 |
| Bartow, FL | $29.63 |
| Tavares, FL | $29.63 |
Team Marketing Report, Fan Cost Index average ticket (since 1991). Earlier years are estimates.
For cities: The nearest MLB team’s average ticket, within 150 miles; elsewhere, scaled by the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the metro area, or the rural part of the state outside metros.
Each year shows the U.S. figure at midyear. Years marked ≈ fall between this series’ data points and are estimated by smooth interpolation between them. Today’s dollars use the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U). How it works.
Movie ticket prices by yearPrice of a pack of cigarettes by yearPrice of a hotel room by yearPrice of cable TV by year
What everything cost in 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2020. All prices.