US Inflation Calculator
1913 - 2026
Find out what any dollar amount was worth in any year. Based on official BLS CPI-U data - the same data the US government uses.
Starting from $100 in the selected year - or $100 in that year, both shown.
US Annual Inflation Rates by Decade
The table below shows the average annual US inflation rate for each decade, based on BLS CPI-U data. Understanding historical inflation helps put current purchasing power in context.
| Decade | Avg Annual Rate | Notable Events |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 8.0% | WWI-era price surge |
| 1920s | −1.1% | Post-war deflation then recovery |
| 1930s | −2.0% | Great Depression deflation |
| 1940s | 5.6% | WWII & post-war inflation |
| 1950s | 2.1% | Post-war economic boom |
| 1960s | 2.5% | Vietnam War spending increases |
| 1970s | 7.4% | Oil crisis, stagflation era |
| 1980s | 5.6% | Volcker tightening, disinflation |
| 1990s | 3.0% | Stable growth, "Great Moderation" |
| 2000s | 2.7% | 9/11, dot-com bust, housing boom |
| 2010s | 1.8% | Post-financial crisis, low inflation |
| 2020s* | 4.3% | COVID supply disruptions, 2022 spike |
*2020s through 2025 only. Sources: BLS, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
How the US Inflation Calculator Works
This calculator uses the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The CPI-U covers approximately 93% of the US population and tracks price changes for about 80,000 goods and services across eight major categories.
To calculate the equivalent value, the formula is simple:
Adjusted Amount = Original Amount × (CPI in Target Year ÷ CPI in Base Year)
For example, $100 in 1980 (CPI: 82.4) is equivalent to $100 × (314.1 ÷ 82.4) = $381.19 in 2025 (CPI: ~314). That means you'd need $381 today to buy what $100 bought in 1980.
What Is the CPI-U?
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) is the most widely cited measure of inflation in the United States. It tracks the average price change of a fixed basket of goods and services purchased by urban households, including housing (largest component at ~33%), transportation (~15%), food (~14%), medical care (~9%), and other categories. The Federal Reserve uses a related measure (PCE) for its 2% inflation target, but CPI-U is the standard for historical comparisons.
Why Does Inflation Matter?
Inflation silently erodes the value of money over time. At the historical average US rate of about 3.2% per year, prices double roughly every 22 years. This means a $1,000 savings account earning 0% interest loses half its real value over two decades. Understanding inflation is essential for retirement planning, setting salary expectations, evaluating investment returns, and understanding historical economic data.
The Rule of 70
A quick mental math trick: divide 70 by the annual inflation rate to estimate how many years it takes for prices to double. At 3% inflation: 70 ÷ 3 ≈ 23 years. At 7% inflation (like the 1970s): 70 ÷ 7 = 10 years. This is why high inflation erodes wealth so rapidly.
How to use US Inflation Calculator 1913 - 2026
Enter your figures
Fill in Dollar amount, Starting year and Ending year. Values you change are used straight away, with no submit button.
Read the results
The US Annual Inflation Rates by Decade and How the US Inflation Calculator Works update as soon as a value changes.
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What this tool does
What an amount is worth in another year
Enter a dollar amount and it is converted between any two years using the official CPI series.
Any starting year from 1913
The CPI record begins in 1913, so a wage, a price or a sum from over a century ago can be brought forward.
Any ending year up to today
Pick the year to convert into, and Swap Years reverses the direction without retyping anything.
Runs fully in your browser with no upload and no sign-up
The CPI table is held in the page, so nothing you enter is uploaded and the calculation works with no connection.
Frequently asked questions
How much has the dollar lost in value since 1913?
The US dollar has lost approximately 97% of its purchasing power since the Federal Reserve was created in 1913. What cost $1 in 1913 requires roughly $32-33 today. This is due to over a century of accumulated inflation averaging about 3.2% annually.
What was $1,000 worth in 1950?
$1,000 in 1950 is equivalent to approximately $12,900 in 2025. The CPI was about 24.1 in 1950 and roughly 314 in 2025, giving a multiplier of about 13x. This means prices have roughly increased by 1,190% since 1950.
What year had the highest inflation in the US?
The highest single-year US inflation rate on record is 1917, when prices rose 17.8% due to World War I. Other extreme years include 1946 (+18.1%, post-WWII adjustment) and 1979-1980 (~11-13%, oil crisis). More recently, 2022 saw 8.0% - the highest since 1981.
Is this inflation calculator accurate?
Yes. This calculator uses official annual average CPI-U values published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Annual averages are used rather than month-by-month figures for simplicity. For exact month-to-month calculations, the BLS offers their own CPI Inflation Calculator at bls.gov. Our data covers 1913-2025 with estimated values for 2026.
Why did inflation spike so much in 2021-2022?
The 2021-2022 inflation spike (peaking at 9.1% in June 2022) resulted from a combination of COVID-19 pandemic supply chain disruptions, massive fiscal stimulus increasing consumer demand, energy price surges following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and labor market tightness. The Federal Reserve responded by raising interest rates from near-zero to over 5% between 2022 and 2023, which brought inflation back toward its 2% target by 2024.
What's the difference between inflation and deflation?
Inflation means prices are rising (each dollar buys less over time). Deflation means prices are falling (each dollar buys more). While deflation sounds beneficial, sustained deflation is dangerous: it causes consumers to delay purchases expecting lower future prices, which reduces economic activity and can lead to recessions. The US experienced deflation during the Great Depression (1930s) and briefly during the 2008-2009 financial crisis.
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