Twenty dollars under a pillow might not buy what it once did at the grocery store, but there’s at least one place where it’s still a small fortune: the Tooth Fairy market. The average payout for a lost tooth rose 17% in 2026, according to the latest national survey, but parents are still leaving nowhere near $20 for the typical tooth. In fact, a $20 bill is more than three times the current national average. That’s good news for parents who hear that a classmate’s Tooth Fairy supposedly leaves $20, $50, or some other eye-popping amount. Before adjusting your household’s going rate for inflation—or playground peer pressure—here’s what parents are actually paying and how quickly a seemingly small tradition can add up.
