$5 in 1974 is worth $30.05 today.
The value of $5 from 1974 to 2022
$5 in 1974 has the purchasing power of about $30.05 today, a $25.05 increase in 48 years. Between 1974 and today, the dollar experienced an average annual inflation rate of 3.81%, resulting in a cumulative price increase of 500.97%.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index, today's prices are several times higher than the average price since 1974.
In 1974, the inflation rate was 11.05%. Inflation is now 8.52% higher than it was last year. If this figure holds true, $5 today will be worth $47.6 next year in purchasing power.
Inflation from 1974 to 2022
| Summary | Value |
|---|---|
| Cumulative price change (from 1974 to today) | 500.97% |
| Average inflation rate (from 1974 to today) | 3.81% |
| Converted amount | $30.05 |
| Price Difference | $25.05 |
| CPI in 1974 | 49.3 |
| CPI in 2022 | 296.276 |
| Inflation in 1974 | 11.05% |
| Inflation in 2022 | 8.52% |
| $5 in 1974 | $30.05 in 2022 |
Buying power of $5 in 1974
If you had $5 in your hand in 1974, its adjusted value for inflation today would be $30.05. Put another way, you would need $30.05 to beat the rising inflation. When $5 becomes equivalent to $30.05 over time, the "real value" of a single US dollar decreases. In other words, a dollar will pay for fewer items at the store.
This effect explains how inflation gradually erodes the value of a dollar. By calculating the value in 1974 dollars, it's evident how $5 loses its worth over 48 years.
Dollar inflation for $5 from 1974 to 2022
The below tabular column shows the effect of inflation on $5 in the year 1974 to the year 1974.
| Year | Dollar Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 5 | 11.05% |
| 1975 | 5.38 | 9.13% |
| 1976 | 5.79 | 5.76% |
| 1977 | 6.23 | 6.50% |
| 1978 | 6.71 | 7.59% |
| 1979 | 7.47 | 11.35% |
| 1980 | 8.48 | 13.50% |
| 1981 | 9.35 | 10.32% |
| 1982 | 9.93 | 6.16% |
| 1983 | 10.24 | 3.21% |
| 1984 | 10.69 | 4.32% |
| 1985 | 11.06 | 3.56% |
| 1986 | 11.27 | 1.86% |
| 1987 | 11.69 | 3.65% |
| 1988 | 12.16 | 4.14% |
| 1989 | 12.75 | 4.82% |
| 1990 | 13.44 | 5.40% |
| 1991 | 14.01 | 4.21% |
| 1992 | 14.43 | 3.01% |
| 1993 | 14.86 | 2.99% |
| 1994 | 15.25 | 2.56% |
| 1995 | 15.67 | 2.83% |
| 1996 | 16.13 | 2.95% |
| 1997 | 16.51 | 2.29% |
| 1998 | 16.77 | 1.56% |
| 1999 | 17.13 | 2.21% |
| 2000 | 17.71 | 3.36% |
| 2001 | 18.21 | 2.85% |
| 2002 | 18.5 | 1.58% |
| 2003 | 18.92 | 2.28% |
| 2004 | 19.43 | 2.66% |
| 2005 | 20.09 | 3.39% |
| 2006 | 20.74 | 3.23% |
| 2007 | 21.33 | 2.85% |
| 2008 | 22.15 | 3.84% |
| 2009 | 22.07 | -0.36% |
| 2010 | 22.43 | 1.64% |
| 2011 | 23.14 | 3.16% |
| 2012 | 23.62 | 2.07% |
| 2013 | 23.96 | 1.46% |
| 2014 | 24.35 | 1.62% |
| 2015 | 24.38 | 0.12% |
| 2016 | 24.69 | 1.26% |
| 2017 | 25.21 | 2.13% |
| 2018 | 25.83 | 2.49% |
| 2019 | 26.3 | 1.76% |
| 2020 | 26.62 | 1.23% |
| 2021 | 27.87 | 4.70% |
| 2022 | 30.51 | 8.52% |
Conversion of 1974 dollars to today's price
Based on the 500.97% change in prices, the following 1974 amounts are shown in today's dollars:
| Initial value | Today value |
|---|---|
| $1 dollar in 1974 | $6.01 dollars today |
| $5 dollars in 1974 | $30.05 dollars today |
| $10 dollars in 1974 | $60.1 dollars today |
| $50 dollars in 1974 | $300.48 dollars today |
| $100 dollars in 1974 | $600.97 dollars today |
| $500 dollars in 1974 | $3004.83 dollars today |
| $1,000 dollars in 1974 | $6009.66 dollars today |
| $5,000 dollars in 1974 | $30048.28 dollars today |
| $10,000 dollars in 1974 | $60096.55 dollars today |
| $50,000 dollars in 1974 | $300482.76 dollars today |
| $100,000 dollars in 1974 | $600965.52 dollars today |
| $500,000 dollars in 1974 | $3004827.59 dollars today |
| $1,000,000 dollars in 1974 | $6009655.17 dollars today |
How to calculate the inflated value of $5 in 1974
To calculate the change in value between 1974 and today, we use the following inflation rate formula:
CPI Today / CPI in 1974 x USD Value in 1974 = Current USD Value
By plugging the values into the formula above, we get:
296.276/ 49.3 x $5 = $30.05
To buy the same product that you could buy for $5 in 1974, you would need $30.05 in 2022.
To calculate the cumulative or total inflation rate in the past 48 years between 1974 and 2022, we use the following formula:
CPI in 2022 - CPI in 1974 / CPI in 1974 x 100 = Cumulative Inflation Rate
By inserting the values to this equation, we get:
( 296.276 - 49.3 / 49.3) x 100 = 500.97%
Alternate method to calculate today's value of money after inflation - Using compound interest formula
Given that money changes over time due to inflation, which acts as compound interest, we can use the following formula:
FV = PV (1+i/100)^n
where,
- FV = Future value
- PV = Present value
- i: Average interest rate (inflation)
- n: Number of times the interest is compounded (i.e. # of years)
The future value in this case represents the amount obtained after applying the inflation rate to our initial value. In other words, it indicates how much $5 is worth today. We have 48 years between 2022 and 1974. The average inflation rate was 3.8068547102846%.
Plugging in the values into the formula, we get:
5 (1+ % 3.81/ 100 ) ^ 48 = $30.05