USA Inflation Calculator

Enter any dollar amount and two years since 1913 — see its equivalent buying power, total inflation between the years and the average annual rate, from official BLS CPI-U data.

Your amount

Annual figures are BLS calendar-year averages; 2026 uses the latest monthly index (July). Swap the years to convert in either direction.

Equivalent buying power

$—

—

Show the math
Cumulative inflation—
Avg. annual rate—
CPI, from year—
CPI, to year—
Buying power of the original dollar remaining
—

Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U, series CUUR0000SA0, 1982–84=100), not seasonally adjusted. The 2025 figure is the official annual average (321.943; October 2025 was not published due to the federal shutdown). The 2026 figure is the July 2026 index (333.918, released August 12, 2026). Headline inflation is currently 3.4% year over year.

Related calculators

Compound interest Simple interest Savings goal Retirement Mortgage Loan / EMI

How this inflation calculator works

The calculator divides the Consumer Price Index of your target year by the index of your starting year, then multiplies by your dollar amount. The CPI-U series, published monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics since 1913, measures the average change in the prices urban consumers pay for a fixed basket of goods and services — food, shelter, energy, transportation, medical care and more. It is the index used to adjust Social Security benefits, tax brackets and TIPS bonds.

The formula

Adjusted value = Amount × (CPIto year ÷ CPIfrom year)

For example, $100 in 2000 (CPI 172.2) carried the same buying power as about $194 in mid-2026 (CPI 333.9): 100 × 333.918 ÷ 172.2 ≈ 193.91. Cumulative inflation over that stretch is roughly 94%, an average of about 2.6% per year.

Where inflation stands now

As of the July 2026 BLS release, headline CPI inflation is 3.4% year over year and core inflation (excluding food and energy) is 2.5%. Energy has been the main driver this year, with gasoline up about 25% from a year earlier, while shelter inflation has cooled to 3.2%. The next CPI release is scheduled for September 11, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the current US inflation rate?
As of the July 2026 BLS release, headline CPI inflation is 3.4% year over year and core inflation (excluding food and energy) is 2.5%. Both eased slightly from June. The next release is scheduled for September 11, 2026.
Why does the data start in 1913?
1913 is the first year the Bureau of Labor Statistics published the CPI series, so it is the earliest year with official, comparable index values. Estimates exist for earlier years but they are reconstructions, not official data.
Is this seasonally adjusted?
No. Year-to-year conversions use unadjusted annual-average index values, which is the standard method for historical dollar conversions and matches how the BLS's own calculator works.
Why is there no October 2025 figure?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics could not collect prices during the late-2025 federal government shutdown, so the October 2025 CPI was never published. The official 2025 annual average is computed from the eleven published months.
Can I convert from a recent year back to an older year?
Yes — just put the later year in “From year” and the earlier year in “To year”. The same ratio works in both directions, so you can see what today's dollars were worth in, say, 1950.

How ListCalc calculates · Report an error

Guides & articles

financeRent vs Buy: The Real Math7 min readfinanceHow Much Do I Need to Retire?7 min read