USD Inflation Calculator

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services. It is the most widely used indicator of inflation in the United States and is published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

The calculator uses the annual average CPI-U (All Urban Consumers) index for the selected years. It divides the ending year CPI by the starting year CPI and multiplies the result by the dollar amount you enter. This gives an estimate of the equivalent buying power at a different point in time.

All historical CPI data is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The base period is 1982-84 = 100. For the most recent year, data may be provisional or estimated. Official monthly releases can be found at bls.gov/cpi.

Inflation erodes the purchasing power of money over time. Understanding how inflation affects your savings, wages, or investments helps you make better long-term financial decisions. For example, $100 in 1980 buys much less today because prices have increased significantly.

No, this tool only compares historical CPI data up to the present. Any use for future years is for illustrative purposes only and based on assumptions; actual inflation may differ.