$5 in 1977 is worth $27.64 today

$5 in 1977 has the same buying power as

$27.64 in August 2026

That is 453% more, an average inflation rate of 3.54% a year over 49 years.

Put the other way, $5 today buys what $0.90 bought in 1977. Cash kept under the mattress since 1977 has lost 82% of its value.

$5 from nearby years

$5 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1972$40.073.2%
1973$37.726.2%
1974$33.9711.0%
1975$31.139.1%
1976$29.445.8%
1977$27.646.5%
1978$25.697.6%
1979$23.0711.3%
1980$20.3313.5%
1981$18.4310.3%
1982$17.366.2%

How $5 from 1977 grew

$0.00$5.00$10$15$20$25$30198019902000201020202026.625: $28
$5 from 1977 in each later year's dollars

$5 of 1977 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $5 spent on each of these in 1977 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$26.75
Rent$34.64
Gasoline$36.19
Medical care$52.02
New cars$12.75
Electricity$27.39
Clothing$8.70

Try a different amount or date

$5.00 in 1977 has the same buying power as

$27.64 in August 2026

Prices rose 452.8% in total, an average of 3.54% a year.

Questions

How much is $5 in 1977 worth today?
$5 in 1977 is worth $27.64 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $5 in 1977?
You would need $27.64 to buy what $5 bought in 1977. That is 5.53 times as much.
How much buying power has $5 lost since 1977?
Kept as cash, $5 from 1977 buys only what $0.90 of 1977 money bought. It has lost 82% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1977?
Prices rose 6.5% in 1977. Since then the average has been 3.54% a year.

Other amounts from 1977

$5 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1977