$5 in 1916 is worth $153.66 today

$5 in 1916 has the same buying power as

$153.66 in August 2026

That is 2,973% more, an average inflation rate of 3.16% a year over 110 years.

Put the other way, $5 today buys what $0.16 bought in 1916. Cash kept under the mattress since 1916 has lost 97% of its value.

$5 from nearby years

$5 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1913$169.18
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%

How $5 from 1916 grew

$0.00$50$100$150$2001920194019601980200020202026.625: $154
$5 from 1916 in each later year's dollars

$5 of 1916 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $5 spent on each of these in 1916 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$155.05
Rent$105.40
Electricity$36.82
Clothing$40.70

Try a different amount or date

$5.00 in 1916 has the same buying power as

$153.66 in August 2026

Prices rose 2,973.2% in total, an average of 3.16% a year.

Questions

How much is $5 in 1916 worth today?
$5 in 1916 is worth $153.66 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $5 in 1916?
You would need $153.66 to buy what $5 bought in 1916. That is 30.73 times as much.
How much buying power has $5 lost since 1916?
Kept as cash, $5 from 1916 buys only what $0.16 of 1916 money bought. It has lost 97% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1916?
Prices rose 7.9% in 1916. Since then the average has been 3.16% a year.

Other amounts from 1916

$5 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1916