How to use the inflation calculator
- Enter the dollar amount you want to adjust.
- Choose the month and year the amount comes from. Data starts in January 1913.
- Choose the month and year you want to compare to. By default this is the latest month published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Read the equivalent amount, the total and average annual inflation and the year-by-year table. Download the full table as CSV if you want.
Formula
Equivalent amount = amount x (CPI at the end date / CPI at the start date)
Total inflation = (CPI at the end date / CPI at the start date - 1) x 100
Average annual rate = (CPI ratio ^ (1 / years)) - 1
The CPI values come straight from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Amounts are rounded to the cent at the end, and percentages are shown to two decimal places.
Worked example: $100 from January 2000 to January 2024
The CPI-U was 168.800 in January 2000 and 308.417 in January 2024. The ratio is 308.417 / 168.8 = 1.82711.
So $100 in January 2000 has the buying power of 100 x 1.82711 = $182.71 in January 2024. Total inflation over the period was 82.71 percent.
Over 24 years that works out to an average of 2.54 percent per year, because 1.82711 raised to the power of 1/24 is 1.02543.
Going backward works the same way: $1,000 in January 2024 had the buying power of about $547.31 in January 2000.
What the Consumer Price Index measures
The CPI-U tracks the average change in prices paid by urban consumers for a fixed basket of goods and services, such as food, housing, transportation and medical care. The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes it every month. This calculator uses the all-items index for the U.S. city average, not seasonally adjusted, which is the series most often used to adjust dollar amounts over long periods.
The index is a ratio scale. The 1982 to 1984 average is set to 100, so a reading of 334.98 in August 2026 means prices were about 3.35 times that earlier average.
Why your own inflation can differ
CPI describes an average household. If most of your spending goes to rent, college tuition, child care or health care, your experience may differ from the average, because those prices have often risen faster than the overall index. Use the result as a standard yardstick, not a personal budget forecast.
A missing month
The Bureau of Labor Statistics did not publish a CPI value for October 2025, so the calculator asks you to choose a neighboring month if you pick that date. Any other gaps in the data are handled the same way: you see a clear message, and the tool never estimates a value that BLS did not publish.
Assumptions and limits
- Uses CPI-U, all items, U.S. city average, not seasonally adjusted (BLS series CUUR0000SA0). Other indexes, such as CPI-W or regional indexes, give slightly different results.
- Data ends at the latest month published by BLS. Later dates are rejected instead of estimated.
- Results show buying power, not investment returns. Interest, taxes and fees are not included.
- The year-by-year table uses the same calendar month as your start date in each year.
- Amounts are in nominal US dollars for the dates you choose.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate what $1 from 1913 is worth today?
Divide the latest CPI by the January 1913 CPI (9.8) and multiply by the amount. With the CPI at 334.98 in August 2026, that is about $34.18.
Is the average annual rate the same as the yearly inflation rate?
No. It is a compound average across the whole period. Individual years can be higher or lower, and some years are negative.
Can I use this to adjust a salary?
Yes, for a rough check. Enter your old pay as the amount to see what it would have to be today to keep the same buying power, then compare it with your actual pay.
Does it include the most recent month?
It includes every month BLS has published. The latest month appears as the default end date, and newer months are added when the data file is refreshed.