$5 in 1941 is worth $113.94 today

$5 in 1941 has the same buying power as

$113.94 in August 2026

That is 2,179% more, an average inflation rate of 3.74% a year over 85 years.

Put the other way, $5 today buys what $0.22 bought in 1941. Cash kept under the mattress since 1941 has lost 96% of its value.

$5 from nearby years

$5 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1936$120.501.5%
1937$116.313.6%
1938$118.79-2.1%
1939$120.50-1.4%
1940$119.640.7%
1941$113.945.0%
1942$102.7510.9%
1943$96.826.1%
1944$95.161.7%
1945$93.052.3%
1946$85.898.3%

How $5 from 1941 grew

$0.00$20$40$60$80$100$120195019601970198019902000201020202026.625: $114
$5 from 1941 in each later year's dollars

$5 of 1941 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $5 spent on each of these in 1941 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$133.75
Rent$92.77
Gasoline$135.24
Medical care$285.10
New cars$39.07
Electricity$54.59
Clothing$29.99

Try a different amount or date

$5.00 in 1941 has the same buying power as

$113.94 in August 2026

Prices rose 2,178.8% in total, an average of 3.74% a year.

Questions

How much is $5 in 1941 worth today?
$5 in 1941 is worth $113.94 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $5 in 1941?
You would need $113.94 to buy what $5 bought in 1941. That is 22.79 times as much.
How much buying power has $5 lost since 1941?
Kept as cash, $5 from 1941 buys only what $0.22 of 1941 money bought. It has lost 96% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1941?
Prices rose 5.0% in 1941. Since then the average has been 3.74% a year.

Other amounts from 1941

$5 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1941