Inflation Calculator: What Is a Dollar From the Past Worth Today?
Find out what an amount from any month since January 1913 is worth today with official CPI-U data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or project future prices at an inflation rate of your choice.
Listen to this article
Inflation means that the same amount of money buys less over time. This inflation calculator uses the official Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, month by month since January 1913, to show what an amount from the past is worth today. It can also project future prices at any inflation rate you enter.
Inflation calculator
See what money from any month since 1913 is worth today, or what prices could look like in the future.
Past values use the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. city average, all items, not seasonally adjusted (BLS series CUUR0000SA0), the same data as the BLS CPI Inflation Calculator. October 2025 is not available because BLS did not publish it during the 2025 lapse in appropriations. Your personal inflation rate depends on what you buy.
Key takeaways
- $100 in January 2000 had the same buying power as $198.45 in August 2026: prices rose 98.45%, about 2.61% a year.
- $1 in January 1913 equals about $34.18 in August 2026 dollars.
- Consumer prices rose 3.4% over the 12 months to August 2026 (CPI-U, not seasonally adjusted).
- At 3.4% a year, prices double in about 21 years.
How the calculator works
For past values the calculator uses the same method as the BLS CPI Inflation Calculator:
Value in month B = amount × CPI(month B) ÷ CPI(month A)
The data is the CPI-U for the U.S. city average, all items, not seasonally adjusted, with 1982–84 = 100 (BLS series CUUR0000SA0). For example, the index was 168.8 in January 2000 and 334.98 in August 2026, so $100 × 334.98 ÷ 168.8 = $198.45. The average annual rate is the compound rate that produces the same change over the period.
For the future, the calculator compounds your chosen rate: cost in n years = amount × (1 + rate)n. The default rate is the latest 12-month change in the CPI-U; the actual future rate is unknown.
What $100 from the past is worth in August 2026
| Starting month | CPI-U then | Equivalent in Aug. 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| January 1970 | 37.8 | $886.19 |
| January 1980 | 77.8 | $430.57 |
| January 1990 | 127.4 | $262.94 |
| January 2000 | 168.8 | $198.45 |
| January 2010 | 216.687 | $154.59 |
| January 2020 | 257.971 | $129.85 |
A note on October 2025
The Bureau of Labor Statistics did not publish a CPI for October 2025 because of the lapse in federal appropriations that fall. The calculator therefore does not offer that month; choose September or November 2025 instead. All other months from January 1913 to the latest release are available, and the data is updated when new months are published.
Why inflation matters for your money
- Savings: money earning less than inflation loses buying power. At 3.4% inflation, cash at the FDIC's 0.37% national average savings rate loses about 3% of its value a year.
- Inflation-protected options: I bonds and Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) adjust with the CPI-U.
- Investing: over long periods, stocks have historically outpaced inflation, with large ups and downs; the compound interest calculator shows how returns compound.
- Raises: a 3% raise in a year with 3.4% inflation is a small pay cut in real terms.
CPI-U and your personal inflation
The CPI-U measures the average change in prices paid by urban consumers for a fixed basket of goods and services, and covers more than 90% of the U.S. population. Your own inflation can differ: renters, drivers, families with young children and retirees all spend differently. Social Security cost-of-living adjustments use a related index, the CPI-W.
Frequently asked questions
What was $1 in 1950 worth today?
Choose January 1950 as the start month in the calculator. The result uses the official monthly CPI-U for both months.
Why does the result differ slightly from other inflation calculators?
Some calculators use annual averages, seasonally adjusted data or a different index. This tool uses the monthly, not seasonally adjusted CPI-U, like the BLS calculator.
What inflation rate should I use for the future?
Nobody knows future inflation. The Federal Reserve targets 2% a year over time, measured by a different index (PCE). Many planners test a range, for example 2% to 4%.
Can I calculate deflation?
Yes. If prices fell between your two months, the result shows a lower value; this happened, for example, in parts of the early 1930s.
Can I download the results?
Yes. The PDF and CSV downloads include the year-by-year values for your period.
