RealWorth
United States Β· 1880

$5 in 1880

= $292.14today
Γ—58.43+5742.9% inflation1880 β†’ 2026

Life in 1880

In 1880, United States's average annual wage was approximately $350. This means $5 represented roughly 0.7 weeks of average earnings β€” a modest expense. A loaf of bread cost approximately $0.05 and monthly rent was around $7.

What you could buy

$5 in 1880
Loaf of bread
100Γ—
Milk (gallon)
38Γ—
Monthly rent
0Γ—
$292.14 in 2026
Loaf of bread
65Γ—
Milk (gallon)
72Γ—
Monthly rent
0Γ—
Gasoline (gal)
84Γ—

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These calculations are estimates based on United States's Consumer Price Index (CPI) data from US Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U; Warren & Pearson (pre-1913); Federal Reserve. Pre-1913 values reconstructed from commodity price indices. Civil War inflation 1861–1865 reflected. Results may differ from other inflation calculators. See our Methodology and Sources for full details.