$5 in 1968 is worth $48.13 today

$5 in 1968 has the same buying power as

$48.13 in August 2026

That is 863% more, an average inflation rate of 3.97% a year over 58 years.

Put the other way, $5 today buys what $0.52 bought in 1968. Cash kept under the mattress since 1968 has lost 90% of its value.

$5 from nearby years

$5 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1963$54.741.3%
1964$54.031.3%
1965$53.171.6%
1966$51.692.9%
1967$50.153.1%
1968$48.134.2%
1969$45.645.5%
1970$43.175.7%
1971$41.364.4%
1972$40.073.2%
1973$37.726.2%

How $5 from 1968 grew

$0.00$10$20$30$40$501970198019902000201020202026.625: $48
$5 from 1968 in each later year's dollars

$5 of 1968 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $5 spent on each of these in 1968 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$49.63
Rent$51.85
Gasoline$67.12
Medical care$99.16
New cars$17.72
Electricity$51.33
Clothing$12.73

Try a different amount or date

$5.00 in 1968 has the same buying power as

$48.13 in August 2026

Prices rose 862.6% in total, an average of 3.97% a year.

Questions

How much is $5 in 1968 worth today?
$5 in 1968 is worth $48.13 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $5 in 1968?
You would need $48.13 to buy what $5 bought in 1968. That is 9.63 times as much.
How much buying power has $5 lost since 1968?
Kept as cash, $5 from 1968 buys only what $0.52 of 1968 money bought. It has lost 90% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1968?
Prices rose 4.2% in 1968. Since then the average has been 3.97% a year.

Other amounts from 1968

$5 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1968