A dollar doesn't buy what it used to. This inflation calculator uses the official U.S. Consumer Price Index to translate an amount from one year into the equivalent amount in another — useful for comparing old salaries, home prices, savings goals or anything else across time. It also shows the total price increase and the average yearly inflation rate between the two years.
How to use the inflation calculator
- Enter an amount in dollars.
- Choose the year the amount is from.
- Choose the year you want to compare it to. It can be earlier or later.
The data runs from 1913, when the CPI series begins, to 2025, the latest complete year.
Inflation formula
Cumulative inflation = (CPI(to) ÷ CPI(from) − 1) × 100
Average annual inflation = (CPI(to) ÷ CPI(from))^(1 ÷ years) − 1
The average annual rate is a compound rate: the steady yearly increase that would produce the same total change.
Worked example: $100 in 2000
- CPI in 2000: 172.2. CPI in 2024: 313.689.
- Equivalent value: 100 × 313.689 ÷ 172.2 = $182.17
- Prices rose 82.17% over the 24 years.
In other words, something that cost $100 in 2000 cost about $182 in 2024 if its price tracked overall inflation.
What $100 from past years equals in 2025
| Year | CPI-U (annual avg.) | $100 then = in 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 24.1 | $1,335.86 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | $1,087.65 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | $829.75 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | $390.71 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | $246.32 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | $186.96 |
| 2010 | 218.056 | $147.64 |
| 2015 | 237.017 | $135.83 |
| 2020 | 258.811 | $124.39 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. city average, all items, not seasonally adjusted, annual averages (1982–84 = 100). 2025 annual average: 321.943.
Understanding the CPI
- It's an average. The CPI measures price changes for a broad basket of consumer goods and services; your own costs may rise faster or slower.
- Annual averages smooth out the year. Prices in December can differ from the year's average; this calculator compares full-year averages.
- Wages vs. prices. Comparing a raise to inflation tells you whether your buying power grew. Try the Pay Raise Calculator alongside this one.
Using inflation-adjusted numbers
Adjusting for inflation makes comparisons across decades fair. A starting salary of $30,000 in 1995 sounds modest, but in today's dollars it is considerably more. Old house prices, tuition and grocery bills look very different once converted. The same idea works in reverse: to judge whether a savings goal set ten years ago is still enough, convert it forward to today's dollars. Economists call figures adjusted this way “real” dollars, and unadjusted ones “nominal” dollars — when you see a chart of prices or wages over time, check which one it shows.
Planning for the future instead? The Compound Interest Calculator shows how savings grow.
Frequently asked questions
How is inflation calculated?
By comparing the Consumer Price Index in two years. Value in the later year = amount × CPI(later) ÷ CPI(earlier). $100 in 2000 (CPI 172.2) equals 100 × 313.689 ÷ 172.2 = $182.17 in 2024 dollars.
What data does this calculator use?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. city average, all items, annual averages from 1913 through 2025.
Why can't I choose the current year?
The calculator uses full-year averages, and a year's average is published only after the year ends. The latest complete year in the data is shown at the top of the year lists.
How much is $1 from 1950 worth today?
Using 2025 as “today”, $1 in 1950 had the buying power of about $13.36 — prices rose more than thirteenfold over that period.
Does inflation affect every price equally?
No. The CPI tracks an average basket of goods and services. Some categories, such as medical care or housing, have risen faster than average, while others, like many electronics, have fallen in price.