$5 in 1947 is worth $75.11 today

$5 in 1947 has the same buying power as

$75.11 in August 2026

That is 1,402% more, an average inflation rate of 3.48% a year over 79 years.

Put the other way, $5 today buys what $0.33 bought in 1947. Cash kept under the mattress since 1947 has lost 93% of its value.

$5 from nearby years

$5 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1942$102.7510.9%
1943$96.826.1%
1944$95.161.7%
1945$93.052.3%
1946$85.898.3%
1947$75.1114.4%
1948$69.508.1%
1949$70.37-1.2%
1950$69.501.3%
1951$64.427.9%
1952$63.201.9%

How $5 from 1947 grew

$0.00$20$40$60$80195019601970198019902000201020202026.625: $75
$5 from 1947 in each later year's dollars

$5 of 1947 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $5 spent on each of these in 1947 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$72.70
Rent$87.01
Gasoline$109.68
Medical care$219.63
New cars$26.35
Electricity$58.28
Clothing$17.14

Try a different amount or date

$5.00 in 1947 has the same buying power as

$75.11 in August 2026

Prices rose 1,402.2% in total, an average of 3.48% a year.

Questions

How much is $5 in 1947 worth today?
$5 in 1947 is worth $75.11 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $5 in 1947?
You would need $75.11 to buy what $5 bought in 1947. That is 15.02 times as much.
How much buying power has $5 lost since 1947?
Kept as cash, $5 from 1947 buys only what $0.33 of 1947 money bought. It has lost 93% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1947?
Prices rose 14.4% in 1947. Since then the average has been 3.48% a year.

Other amounts from 1947

$5 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1947