$5 in 1921 is worth $93.57 today

$5 in 1921 has the same buying power as

$93.57 in August 2026

That is 1,771% more, an average inflation rate of 2.83% a year over 105 years.

Put the other way, $5 today buys what $0.27 bought in 1921. Cash kept under the mattress since 1921 has lost 95% of its value.

$5 from nearby years

$5 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
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%
1925$95.712.3%
1926$94.631.1%

How $5 from 1921 grew

$0.00$20$40$60$80$100194019601980200020202026.625: $94
$5 from 1921 in each later year's dollars

$5 of 1921 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $5 spent on each of these in 1921 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$110.19
Rent$71.27
Electricity$35.80
Clothing$20.60

Try a different amount or date

$5.00 in 1921 has the same buying power as

$93.57 in August 2026

Prices rose 1,771.4% in total, an average of 2.83% a year.

Questions

How much is $5 in 1921 worth today?
$5 in 1921 is worth $93.57 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $5 in 1921?
You would need $93.57 to buy what $5 bought in 1921. That is 18.71 times as much.
How much buying power has $5 lost since 1921?
Kept as cash, $5 from 1921 buys only what $0.27 of 1921 money bought. It has lost 95% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1921?
Prices rose -10.5% in 1921. Since then the average has been 2.83% a year.

Other amounts from 1921

$5 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1921