$5 in 1950 is worth $69.50 today

$5 in 1950 has the same buying power as

$69.50 in August 2026

That is 1,290% more, an average inflation rate of 3.52% a year over 76 years.

Put the other way, $5 today buys what $0.36 bought in 1950. Cash kept under the mattress since 1950 has lost 93% of its value.

$5 from nearby years

$5 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1945$93.052.3%
1946$85.898.3%
1947$75.1114.4%
1948$69.508.1%
1949$70.37-1.2%
1950$69.501.3%
1951$64.427.9%
1952$63.201.9%
1953$62.730.8%
1954$62.260.7%
1955$62.50-0.4%

How $5 from 1950 grew

$0.00$10$20$30$40$50$60$70195019601970198019902000201020202026.625: $69
$5 from 1950 in each later year's dollars

$5 of 1950 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $5 spent on each of these in 1950 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$68.98
Rent$75.59
Gasoline$94.67
Medical care$196.36
New cars$21.81
Electricity$57.00
Clothing$16.97

Try a different amount or date

$5.00 in 1950 has the same buying power as

$69.50 in August 2026

Prices rose 1,290.0% in total, an average of 3.52% a year.

Questions

How much is $5 in 1950 worth today?
$5 in 1950 is worth $69.50 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $5 in 1950?
You would need $69.50 to buy what $5 bought in 1950. That is 13.90 times as much.
How much buying power has $5 lost since 1950?
Kept as cash, $5 from 1950 buys only what $0.36 of 1950 money bought. It has lost 93% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1950?
Prices rose 1.3% in 1950. Since then the average has been 3.52% a year.

Other amounts from 1950

$5 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1950