Enter an amount and two years to see how much buying power changed between them. The calculator uses the official US Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the same series behind the monthly inflation headline, and updates automatically when a new month is published.
Current US inflation
Inflation rate by year, 1914–2025
Annual inflation is the change in the average CPI-U from one calendar year to the next. The last column shows what $100 from that year is worth in August 2026 dollars. Select a year for its full breakdown.
2020s
2010s
2000s
1990s
1980s
1970s
1960s
1950s
1940s
1930s
1920s
1910s
How the inflation calculator works
Prices in one year are converted to another by the ratio of the price index in each year: value in the later year = amount × (CPI in the later year ÷ CPI in the earlier year). For full calendar years the tool uses the BLS annual average. For the current year it uses the most recent monthly reading, so “today” always means the latest month BLS has published.
The average inflation rate shown is the compound annual rate that turns the earlier price level into the later one. Because an annual average describes the middle of a year, the elapsed time is measured from mid-year, which keeps long comparisons from being overstated.
What CPI-U does and does not measure
CPI-U tracks the prices paid by urban consumers for a broad basket of goods and services, covering roughly 90% of the US population. It is a general measure. Individual categories — rent, medical care, tuition, cars, food — have risen at very different rates, so the figure is a good guide to the purchasing power of money in general and a poor guide to the price of any single item.
The series is not seasonally adjusted, which is correct for comparing whole years and long periods. It also differs from the PCE price index the Federal Reserve targets; CPI has historically run somewhat above PCE.
Look up a specific year
Every year from 1913 has its own page with the value of $100 today, that year’s inflation rate, a year-by-year table and a chart — for example 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010 and 2020. The full list is in the table above.
Related EskiSignal guides
- CPI Release Dates 2026: Inflation Report Schedule, Times and Market Impact
- PCE vs CPI: The Two U.S. Inflation Gauges Explained
- September 2026 CPI Preview: What to Watch on October 14
This tool is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not financial, investment or tax advice. Always verify figures with the official source before making financial decisions.
