$5 in 1926 is worth $94.63 today

$5 in 1926 has the same buying power as

$94.63 in August 2026

That is 1,793% more, an average inflation rate of 2.98% a year over 100 years.

Put the other way, $5 today buys what $0.26 bought in 1926. Cash kept under the mattress since 1926 has lost 95% of its value.

$5 from nearby years

$5 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1921$93.57-10.5%
1922$99.70-6.1%
1923$97.951.8%
1924$97.950.0%
1925$95.712.3%
1926$94.631.1%
1927$96.26-1.7%
1928$97.95-1.7%
1929$97.950.0%
1930$100.29-2.3%
1931$110.19-9.0%

How $5 from 1926 grew

$0.00$20$40$60$80$100194019601980200020202026.625: $95
$5 from 1926 in each later year's dollars

$5 of 1926 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $5 spent on each of these in 1926 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$103.06
Rent$65.64
Electricity$38.18
Clothing$26.40

Try a different amount or date

$5.00 in 1926 has the same buying power as

$94.63 in August 2026

Prices rose 1,792.5% in total, an average of 2.98% a year.

Questions

How much is $5 in 1926 worth today?
$5 in 1926 is worth $94.63 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $5 in 1926?
You would need $94.63 to buy what $5 bought in 1926. That is 18.93 times as much.
How much buying power has $5 lost since 1926?
Kept as cash, $5 from 1926 buys only what $0.26 of 1926 money bought. It has lost 95% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1926?
Prices rose 1.1% in 1926. Since then the average has been 2.98% a year.

Other amounts from 1926

$5 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1926