US Inflation Calculator (CPI-U)
Calculate the value of a dollar over time with the US CPI. See what any amount from 1913 to 2025 is worth today, the total inflation, and the average annual inflation rate between any two years.
- Data verified · July 2026
- Edited by Martín Rodríguez
- Formula verified by automated tests
- Private — runs on your device
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See this calculation step by step
See period-by-period detail
How to use this calculator
Follow this tool’s steps, then review its formula, assumptions, and limits below.
The math is simple and transparent. Every year has a CPI value (with 1982-84 set to 100). To move money from one year to another, you multiply by the ratio of the two CPI values. The tool also reports the total inflation across the period and the average annual inflation rate, so you can compare, say, the calm 2010s against the price spike of 2021-2022.
Use it to see the real value of an old salary, judge whether a raise kept up with the cost of living, understand historical prices, or check how much purchasing power your savings have lost. The series covers 1913 through 2025, so you can compare any two years across more than a century.
When to use this calculator
- See what $100 from the year you were born is worth in today's dollars.
- Check whether a raise from $50,000 to $58,000 over 5 years beat inflation.
- Convert a historical price (a 1970 car, a 1990 rent) into today's money.
- Compare cumulative inflation in the 2010s versus the 2020-2022 spike.
- Estimate the real value of a pension or fixed payment set years ago.
- Understand how much buying power cash under the mattress has lost since 2019.
- Adjust a grandparent's old salary to see if it was really 'a lot of money'.
- Set a fair present-day budget from a project cost quoted a decade ago.
- Teach students how the CPI measures the changing cost of living.
- Judge whether Social Security or wage growth kept pace with the cost of living.
Value of $100 across the decades (in 2025 dollars)
| Start year | CPI-U | $100 then is worth in 2025 | Total inflation to 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 24.1 | $1,336 | 1,236% |
| 1970 | 38.8 | $830 | 730% |
| 1980 | 82.4 | $391 | 291% |
| 1990 | 130.7 | $246 | 146% |
| 2000 | 172.2 | $187 | 87% |
| 2010 | 218.056 | $148 | 48% |
| 2020 | 258.811 | $124 | 24% |
Source: BLS annual-average CPI-U (1982-84 = 100), 2025 = 321.943. Figures rounded.
How it works
How the inflation calculation works
Equivalent value = Amount × (CPI end year ÷ CPI start year)
Total inflation = (CPI end ÷ CPI start − 1) × 100
Avg annual rate = (CPI end ÷ CPI start)^(1 / years) − 1The CPI-U tracks the average price of a fixed basket of goods and services bought by urban consumers. Because the index is set so that 1982-84 = 100, the number itself is not a price — it is the ratio between two years that matters.
Selected annual-average CPI-U values
| Year | CPI-U | What $1 in that year is worth in 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 1913 | 9.9 | $32.52 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | $13.36 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | $8.30 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | $2.46 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | $1.87 |
| 2010 | 218.056 | $1.48 |
| 2020 | 258.811 | $1.24 |
| 2025 | 321.943 | $1.00 |
Worked example — did a raise beat inflation?
Say you earned $50,000 in 2019 and $58,000 in 2025.
1. CPI 2019 = 255.657; CPI 2025 = 321.943 → ratio 1.259.
2. To keep the same buying power, $50,000 would need to become $62,950 in 2025.
3. Your $58,000 is below that, so in real terms your pay slipped about 8% despite the higher number.
Why inflation is not steady
| Period | Roughly what happened |
|---|---|
| 1970s | High inflation; prices more than doubled that decade |
| 1990s–2010s | Mostly low, stable inflation near 2% |
| 2021–2022 | Sharp post-pandemic spike (CPI jumped from 270.97 to 292.66) |
| 2023–2025 | Inflation cooling back toward the 2–3% range |
Notes on the data
This calculator uses the annual-average CPI-U (all items, U.S. city average, not seasonally adjusted). Monthly figures differ slightly from the annual average, and the BLS occasionally makes minor historical revisions. For a specific month, or for the chained CPI, use the BLS tools directly. The CPI is a broad national average — your personal inflation rate depends on what you actually buy (housing, healthcare, and college have risen faster than the overall index).
Disclaimer
Educational tool based on published BLS CPI-U data. Inflation adjustments are estimates of average buying power, not a guarantee of any specific price. For official figures, consult the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Example: $100 in 2000 valued in 2025
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate the value of a dollar over time?
What is the CPI-U?
How much has $100 lost to inflation since 2000?
What was the US inflation rate in 2022?
Why is my personal inflation different from the CPI?
Does this use monthly or annual CPI?
How far back does the data go?
Is a higher CPI always bad?
Sources & references
Methodology & trust
Finance calculator with its formula verified automatically against U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — CPI supplemental files (annual averages), per our editorial policy and methodology.
Updated: July 2026. Parameters are verified periodically against the cited sources.
Calculations run 100% in your browser. We do not store or transmit your data.
Indicative results. For critical decisions, consult a professional.
Rodríguez, M. (2026). US Inflation Calculator (CPI-U). Hacé Cuentas. https://hacecuentas.com/en/inflation-calculator-us-cpi
Content licensed under CC-BY 4.0 — reuse it citing the source with a link to Hacé Cuentas.