$5 in 1929 is worth $97.95 today

$5 in 1929 has the same buying power as

$97.95 in August 2026

That is 1,859% more, an average inflation rate of 3.11% a year over 97 years.

Put the other way, $5 today buys what $0.26 bought in 1929. Cash kept under the mattress since 1929 has lost 95% of its value.

$5 from nearby years

$5 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
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%
1932$122.26-9.9%
1933$128.84-5.1%
1934$124.993.1%

How $5 from 1929 grew

$0.00$20$40$60$80$100194019601980200020202026.625: $98
$5 from 1929 in each later year's dollars

$5 of 1929 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $5 spent on each of these in 1929 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$106.19
Rent$69.94
Electricity$40.90
Clothing$27.68

Try a different amount or date

$5.00 in 1929 has the same buying power as

$97.95 in August 2026

Prices rose 1,858.9% in total, an average of 3.11% a year.

Questions

How much is $5 in 1929 worth today?
$5 in 1929 is worth $97.95 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $5 in 1929?
You would need $97.95 to buy what $5 bought in 1929. That is 19.59 times as much.
How much buying power has $5 lost since 1929?
Kept as cash, $5 from 1929 buys only what $0.26 of 1929 money bought. It has lost 95% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1929?
Prices rose 0.0% in 1929. Since then the average has been 3.11% a year.

Other amounts from 1929

$5 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1929