$5 in 1955 is worth $62.50 today

$5 in 1955 has the same buying power as

$62.50 in August 2026

That is 1,150% more, an average inflation rate of 3.61% a year over 71 years.

Put the other way, $5 today buys what $0.40 bought in 1955. Cash kept under the mattress since 1955 has lost 92% of its value.

$5 from nearby years

$5 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1950$69.501.3%
1951$64.427.9%
1952$63.201.9%
1953$62.730.8%
1954$62.260.7%
1955$62.50-0.4%
1956$61.581.5%
1957$59.603.3%
1958$57.962.8%
1959$57.560.7%
1960$56.581.7%

How $5 from 1955 grew

$0.00$10$20$30$40$50$60$7019601970198019902000201020202026.625: $62
$5 from 1955 in each later year's dollars

$5 of 1955 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $5 spent on each of these in 1955 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$63.02
Rent$63.06
Gasoline$81.39
Medical care$162.91
New cars$20.01
Electricity$54.40
Clothing$15.94

Try a different amount or date

$5.00 in 1955 has the same buying power as

$62.50 in August 2026

Prices rose 1,149.9% in total, an average of 3.61% a year.

Questions

How much is $5 in 1955 worth today?
$5 in 1955 is worth $62.50 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $5 in 1955?
You would need $62.50 to buy what $5 bought in 1955. That is 12.50 times as much.
How much buying power has $5 lost since 1955?
Kept as cash, $5 from 1955 buys only what $0.40 of 1955 money bought. It has lost 92% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1955?
Prices rose -0.4% in 1955. Since then the average has been 3.61% a year.

Other amounts from 1955

$5 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1955