US Inflation Calculator

Q: Can I download the results?

Yes. Click the Export Data (CSV) button below the results table. This will download a spreadsheet file with year-by-year CPI values, annual inflation rates, and cumulative inflation rates for your selected time period. You can open it in Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet program.

Us Inflation Calculator

Updated Jun 22, 2026 By Jehan Wadia

Statistic	Value
Inflation-Adjusted Value
Cumulative Inflation Rate
Average Annual Inflation Rate
Total Dollar Increase
CPI Value in Start Period
CPI Value in End Period
Annual Inflation Rate in Start Year
Annual Inflation Rate in End Year

Statistic

Value

Inflation-Adjusted Value

Cumulative Inflation Rate

Average Annual Inflation Rate

Total Dollar Increase

CPI Value in Start Period

CPI Value in End Period

Annual Inflation Rate in Start Year

Annual Inflation Rate in End Year

Introduction

This U.S. inflation calculator shows how the buying power of the dollar changes over time. Enter any dollar amount, pick a start year and an end year, and the tool will tell you what that money is worth after inflation. It uses official Consumer Price Index (CPI) data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with records going back to 1913 and estimates reaching as far back as 1800. For calculations focused specifically on CPI index values, you can also try our CPI Inflation Calculator.

Inflation means prices go up over time. A dollar today buys less than a dollar did years ago. For example, something that cost $1 in 1924 would cost much more in 2026 because of rising prices. This calculator does the math for you so you can see exactly how much more. You can use our Percentage Increase Calculator to quickly find the percentage change between any two values.

You can use this tool to compare prices across any two years, check how much your salary has kept up with rising costs, or see how savings lose value over time. The calculator also shows year-by-year charts, a full data table, and a step-by-step breakdown of the math behind every result.

How to Use Our US Inflation Calculator

Enter a dollar amount and two time periods to see how inflation has changed the value of your money. The calculator will show you what your dollars are worth after inflation, the total inflation rate, and a year-by-year breakdown with charts.

Calculation Mode: Pick "Annual" to compare full years, or pick "Month-Level Precision" if you want to choose exact months for your start and end dates.

Dollar Amount: Type the amount of money you want to adjust for inflation. This can be any number, like $1, $100, or $50,000.

Start Year: Choose the year your dollar amount is from. You can also click one of the quick-select buttons below the dropdowns to jump to a common year like 1950 or 2000.

Start Month: If you chose "Month-Level Precision" mode, pick the exact month for your start date. This field is hidden in Annual mode.

End Year: Choose the year you want to compare your money to. The start year and end year must be different.

End Month: If you chose "Month-Level Precision" mode, pick the exact month for your end date. This field is hidden in Annual mode.

Results update as you change any input. You can also press the Calculate button to run the calculation or the Reset button to clear your entries and start over. To save your results, click Export Data (CSV) to download a spreadsheet of the year-by-year inflation data.

What Is Inflation and How Does This Calculator Work?

Inflation is when prices go up over time. A dollar today buys less than a dollar did years ago. For example, a loaf of bread that cost $0.09 in 1930 costs over $4.00 today. The same money just doesn't stretch as far. This steady rise in prices is what economists call inflation. To see how inflation affects regional expenses like housing and groceries, check out our Cost of Living Calculator.

The U.S. government tracks inflation using something called the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The CPI measures the average price of a "basket" of everyday goods and services — things like food, housing, clothes, gas, and medical care. Each month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) checks thousands of prices across the country and updates the CPI number. When the CPI goes up, it means prices have gone up. When it goes down (which is rare), prices have dropped.

This U.S. Inflation Calculator uses CPI data going back to the year 1800 to show you how the value of money has changed. You enter a dollar amount, pick a start year, and pick an end year. The calculator then tells you what that money is worth after inflation. It works by comparing the CPI value from your start year to the CPI value in your end year. The math is simple: divide the end CPI by the start CPI, then multiply by your dollar amount. Our Percent Change Calculator uses the same underlying formula if you want to calculate percentage differences between any two numbers.

You can use this tool to:

See how much past prices would be in today's dollars — similar to finding the present value of a future or past sum
Find out how much buying power you've lost over time
Compare wages, salaries, or costs across different years — pair this with our Pay Raise Calculator to see if your raises beat inflation
Understand the cumulative inflation rate between any two years
View the average annual inflation rate for any time period — this is essentially a CAGR applied to price levels

The calculator also shows two charts. The first chart shows how cumulative inflation grew year by year. The second chart shows how the buying power of your money shrank over that same time. Both charts help you see inflation's effect at a glance rather than just as a single number.

Data from 1913 to today comes directly from official BLS records. Data before 1913 uses historical price estimates, since the BLS did not exist yet. The calculator notes this difference whenever your date range crosses that boundary, so you always know how reliable the numbers are.

As of June 2026, the trailing 12-month U.S. inflation rate is 3.10% based on the latest CPI-U data. This means prices rose 3.10% compared to the same month one year ago. The calculator stays up to date with each new BLS data release. Understanding how inflation erodes returns is also critical for long-term financial planning — tools like our Compound Interest Calculator, Retirement Calculator, and Investment Calculator can help you plan growth that outpaces rising prices. You can also use the Rule of 72 Calculator to quickly estimate how many years it takes for prices to double at a given inflation rate.

Formulas used

Inflation-Adjusted Value

\text{Adjusted} = \text{Amount} \times \frac{\text{CPI}_{\text{end}}}{\text{CPI}_{\text{start}}}

Cumulative Inflation Rate

\text{Cumulative Rate} = \frac{\text{CPI}_{\text{end}} - \text{CPI}_{\text{start}}}{\text{CPI}_{\text{start}}} \times 100

Average Annual Inflation Rate

\text{Avg Annual Rate} = \left( \left( \frac{\text{CPI}_{\text{later}}}{\text{CPI}_{\text{earlier}}} \right)^{\frac{1}{n}} - 1 \right) \times 100

Total Dollar Increase

\text{Increase} = \text{Adjusted} - \text{Amount}

Year-Over-Year Inflation Rate

\text{Rate}_{y} = \frac{\text{CPI}_{y} - \text{CPI}_{y-1}}{\text{CPI}_{y-1}} \times 100

Purchasing Power (Buying Power Erosion)

\text{Buying Power}_{y} = \text{Amount} \times \frac{\text{CPI}_{\text{start}}}{\text{CPI}_{y}}

Frequently asked questions

What is the Consumer Price Index (CPI)?

The Consumer Price Index, or CPI, is a number that tracks the average price of everyday things people buy, like food, housing, gas, and clothes. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) updates it every month. When the CPI goes up, it means prices have gone up. This calculator uses CPI data to figure out how inflation has changed the value of your money.

How accurate is the data before 1913?

Data before 1913 is based on historical price estimates, not official government records. The Bureau of Labor Statistics did not start tracking prices until 1913. These older numbers give a rough idea of how prices changed, but they are not as exact as modern CPI data. The calculator will warn you when your date range uses estimated data.

What is the difference between Annual mode and Month-Level Precision mode?

Annual mode compares full-year average CPI values. Month-Level Precision mode lets you pick exact months for your start and end dates. Use Annual mode for quick, general comparisons. Use Month-Level Precision when you need a more exact result, like comparing January 2020 to March 2026.

What is the difference between cumulative inflation and average annual inflation?

Cumulative inflation is the total percentage that prices went up over the entire time period you picked. Average annual inflation is how much prices went up per year on average during that same period. For example, if cumulative inflation over 10 years is 30%, the average annual rate is about 2.66% per year.

Can I use this calculator to go backward in time?

Yes. You can set the start year to a later date and the end year to an earlier date. The calculator will show you what a modern dollar amount would have been worth in the past. This is helpful for understanding how much less things used to cost.

What does purchasing power mean?

Purchasing power is how much stuff your money can buy. When prices go up because of inflation, your money buys less. So your purchasing power goes down. For example, $100 in 1990 could buy a lot more groceries than $100 can buy today.

How often is the calculator updated with new data?

The calculator is updated each time the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases new CPI data. The BLS publishes new numbers once a month, usually in the middle of the following month. The latest data in the calculator is from May 2026.

What is core inflation?

Core inflation is the inflation rate with food and energy prices removed. Food and energy prices jump around a lot from month to month due to weather, oil supply, and other short-term factors. Core inflation strips those out to give a clearer picture of the long-term price trend.

Why does the calculator show different CPI data sources?

The calculator uses three types of data. Years before 1913 use estimated historical prices. Years from 1913 to 1977 use official historical BLS CPI data. Years from 1978 onward use CPI-U, which is the modern standard. When your date range crosses these boundaries, the calculator tells you so you know the numbers may be less precise.

Can I download the results?

Yes. Click the Export Data (CSV) button below the results table. This will download a spreadsheet file with year-by-year CPI values, annual inflation rates, and cumulative inflation rates for your selected time period. You can open it in Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet program.

What formula does the calculator use?

The main formula is: Adjusted Value = (CPI in End Year ÷ CPI in Start Year) × Dollar Amount. For the cumulative inflation rate, it uses: ((CPI End − CPI Start) ÷ CPI Start) × 100. The step-by-step section below the results shows every part of the math with your actual numbers filled in.

Does this calculator account for taxes?

No. This calculator only measures how inflation changes the value of money over time using CPI data. It does not include income taxes, sales taxes, capital gains taxes, or any other taxes. For a full financial picture, you should factor in taxes separately.

What is the CPI-U?

CPI-U stands for Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. It covers about 93% of the U.S. population. It is the most widely used measure of inflation in the United States and is the version of CPI that this calculator uses for all years from 1978 onward.

Why is my start year and end year the same giving an error?

The calculator needs two different time periods to measure how prices changed. If the start and end are the same, there is no change to calculate. Pick a different start year or end year to fix this error.

Can I use this to see if my salary kept up with inflation?

Yes. Enter your old salary as the dollar amount and set the start year to when you earned it. Set the end year to today. The result shows what your old salary would need to be now to have the same buying power. If your current salary is lower than that number, your pay has not kept up with inflation.

What does a negative inflation rate mean?

A negative inflation rate means prices went down, which is called deflation. This is rare in the U.S. but has happened, such as during the Great Depression in the early 1930s. If you pick a time period where prices fell, the calculator will show a negative cumulative rate and your adjusted value will be less than your starting amount.

Does this calculator work for other countries?

No. This calculator only uses U.S. CPI data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It measures inflation in the United States only. Other countries have their own inflation indexes and rates, which may be very different from U.S. numbers.

What years does this calculator cover?

The calculator covers the years 1800 through 2026. Years from 1800 to 1912 use estimated historical price data. Years from 1913 onward use official Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI data. This gives you over 200 years of U.S. price history to explore.