How much did the tooth fairy leave for one tooth?
What the tooth fairy leaves for one tooth (US average) was $4.36 in 2015 and $5.01 in 2025: 15% more.
Over the same years, prices in general (US inflation, measured by the consumer price index, CPI) rose by 36%. That makes $4.36 in 2015 worth about $5.92 in 2025 money. So it fell behind inflation: about 15% less, in real terms, than in 2015.
In the years listed, the highest figure was $5.01 in 2025 and the lowest $3.70 in 2019. The biggest change between two listed years came between 2020 and 2025, when it went up 24%, from $4.03 to $5.01.
The tooth fairy: price by year
| Year | Amount | In 2025 dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | $4.36 | $5.92 |
| 2016 | $3.91 | $5.24 |
| 2017 | $4.66 | $6.12 |
| 2018 | $4.13 | $5.29 |
| 2019 | $3.70 | $4.66 |
| 2020 | $4.03 | $5.01 |
| 2025 | $5.01 | $5.01 |
"In 2025 dollars" adjusts each amount for inflation with the CPI, so the years can be compared fairly. How this works.
Where the numbers come from
Figures as published by the source below.
Source: Delta Dental Plans Association: The Original Tooth Fairy Poll (press releases page). View the source.
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