$5 in 1919 is worth $96.82 today

$5 in 1919 has the same buying power as

$96.82 in August 2026

That is 1,836% more, an average inflation rate of 2.80% a year over 107 years.

Put the other way, $5 today buys what $0.26 bought in 1919. Cash kept under the mattress since 1919 has lost 95% of its value.

$5 from nearby years

$5 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1914$167.491.0%
1915$165.831.0%
1916$153.667.9%
1917$130.8517.4%
1918$110.9218.0%
1919$96.8214.6%
1920$83.7515.6%
1921$93.57-10.5%
1922$99.70-6.1%
1923$97.951.8%
1924$97.950.0%

How $5 from 1919 grew

$0.00$20$40$60$80$1001920194019601980200020202026.625: $97
$5 from 1919 in each later year's dollars

$5 of 1919 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $5 spent on each of these in 1919 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$94.20
Rent$96.35
Electricity$36.39
Clothing$18.89

Try a different amount or date

$5.00 in 1919 has the same buying power as

$96.82 in August 2026

Prices rose 1,836.3% in total, an average of 2.80% a year.

Questions

How much is $5 in 1919 worth today?
$5 in 1919 is worth $96.82 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $5 in 1919?
You would need $96.82 to buy what $5 bought in 1919. That is 19.36 times as much.
How much buying power has $5 lost since 1919?
Kept as cash, $5 from 1919 buys only what $0.26 of 1919 money bought. It has lost 95% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1919?
Prices rose 14.6% in 1919. Since then the average has been 2.80% a year.

Other amounts from 1919

$5 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1919