$5 in 1982 is worth $17.36 today

$5 in 1982 has the same buying power as

$17.36 in August 2026

That is 247% more, an average inflation rate of 2.86% a year over 44 years.

Put the other way, $5 today buys what $1.44 bought in 1982. Cash kept under the mattress since 1982 has lost 71% of its value.

$5 from nearby years

$5 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1977$27.646.5%
1978$25.697.6%
1979$23.0711.3%
1980$20.3313.5%
1981$18.4310.3%
1982$17.366.2%
1983$16.823.2%
1984$16.124.3%
1985$15.573.6%
1986$15.281.9%
1987$14.743.6%

How $5 from 1982 grew

$0.00$5.00$10$15$2019902000201020202026.625: $17
$5 from 1982 in each later year's dollars

$5 of 1982 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $5 spent on each of these in 1982 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$17.99
Rent$23.73
Gasoline$17.50
Medical care$32.05
New cars$9.22
College tuition$54.68
Electricity$16.18
Clothing$6.99

Try a different amount or date

$5.00 in 1982 has the same buying power as

$17.36 in August 2026

Prices rose 247.1% in total, an average of 2.86% a year.

Questions

How much is $5 in 1982 worth today?
$5 in 1982 is worth $17.36 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $5 in 1982?
You would need $17.36 to buy what $5 bought in 1982. That is 3.47 times as much.
How much buying power has $5 lost since 1982?
Kept as cash, $5 from 1982 buys only what $1.44 of 1982 money bought. It has lost 71% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1982?
Prices rose 6.2% in 1982. Since then the average has been 2.86% a year.

Other amounts from 1982

$5 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1982