US Inflation Calculator
See how inflation changes the buying power of the US dollar between any two years.
Loading tool...
How the Inflation Calculator Works
This tool uses the US Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to measure how prices — and therefore the buying power of the dollar — have changed over time. It compares the CPI in two years to convert an amount from one year to its equivalent in another.
Inflation Formula
Adjusted value = Amount × (CPI in target year ÷ CPI in original year)
Example
The CPI was 130.7 in 1990 and about 313.7 in 2024. So $100 in 1990 has the same buying power as $100 × (313.7 ÷ 130.7) ≈ $240 in 2024 — a total inflation of about 140% over 34 years, or roughly 2.6% per year.
What CPI Measures
The CPI tracks the average price of a fixed basket of goods and services — housing, food, transportation, medical care and more. When the CPI rises, each dollar buys less. The figures here are annual averages; month-to-month values vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Embed this tool on your website
Free to use — copy this code onto your site. It stays up to date automatically and includes a link back to CalcSun.