$5 in 1931 is worth $110.19 today

$5 in 1931 has the same buying power as

$110.19 in August 2026

That is 2,104% more, an average inflation rate of 3.30% a year over 95 years.

Put the other way, $5 today buys what $0.23 bought in 1931. Cash kept under the mattress since 1931 has lost 95% of its value.

$5 from nearby years

$5 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
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%
1935$122.262.2%
1936$120.501.5%

How $5 from 1931 grew

$0.00$20$40$60$80$100$120194019601980200020202026.625: $110
$5 from 1931 in each later year's dollars

$5 of 1931 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $5 spent on each of these in 1931 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$135.82
Rent$75.84
Electricity$42.36
Clothing$31.08

Try a different amount or date

$5.00 in 1931 has the same buying power as

$110.19 in August 2026

Prices rose 2,103.8% in total, an average of 3.30% a year.

Questions

How much is $5 in 1931 worth today?
$5 in 1931 is worth $110.19 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $5 in 1931?
You would need $110.19 to buy what $5 bought in 1931. That is 22.04 times as much.
How much buying power has $5 lost since 1931?
Kept as cash, $5 from 1931 buys only what $0.23 of 1931 money bought. It has lost 95% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1931?
Prices rose -9.0% in 1931. Since then the average has been 3.30% a year.

Other amounts from 1931

$5 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1931