Inflation Calculator
See what an amount of money from one year is worth in another, using the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) annual averages from 1913 to .
What the inflation calculator does
The inflation calculator shows what an amount of money from one year is worth in another year, using the actual U.S. Consumer Price Index rather than an assumed rate. Enter the amount, a starting year and an ending year between 1913 and the current year, and press Calculate. The tool divides the CPI of the end year by the CPI of the start year and applies that ratio to your amount. It also reports the cumulative price change and the average annual inflation rate over the span.
The formula
Amount in year B = amount in year A × (CPIB ÷ CPIA)
The index used is CPI-U, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, not seasonally adjusted, with 1982–84 set to 100. Each year’s value is the average of its twelve monthly readings, which is the series the Bureau of Labor Statistics itself uses for year-to-year comparisons. The current year uses the months published so far and shifts slightly as new months arrive.
Worked examples
| Amount | From | To | CPI ratio | Equivalent | Average annual inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | 2000 | 2025 | 321.9 ÷ 172.2 | $1,870 | 2.5% |
| $50,000 salary | 2015 | 2025 | 321.9 ÷ 237.0 | $67,920 | 3.1% |
| $250,000 house | 1995 | 2025 | 321.9 ÷ 152.4 | $528,180 | 2.5% |
| $1,000 | 1913 | 2025 | 321.9 ÷ 9.9 | $32,570 | 3.2% |
| $100 | 2020 | 2023 | 304.7 ÷ 258.8 | $118 | 5.6% |
The last row covers the 2021 to 2023 surge, when prices rose faster than at any time since the early 1980s. Over long spans the average settles near 3%, but the path is uneven: inflation was 13.5% in 1980, close to zero in 2015, and briefly negative in 2009.
Reading the result backwards
Enter a later year as the start and an earlier year as the end to deflate a figure into older dollars. $1,870 in 2025 entered with 2025 as the start year and 2000 as the end year returns $1,000, which is what the same purchasing power cost then. This is how “real” or “constant-dollar” comparisons are made in economic reports.
Nominal and real values
A figure before inflation adjustment is nominal; after adjustment it is real. A salary that rose from $50,000 in 2015 to $62,000 in 2025 grew 24% in nominal terms, but prices rose 35.8% over the same years, so in real terms it fell about 9%. The inflation-adjusted salary calculator and real hourly wage calculator make that comparison directly, and the salary comparison calculator lines up offers from different years or cities.
Projecting into the future
The CPI only exists for years that have happened, so this calculator stops at the current year. For a forward estimate, use the compound interest calculator with an assumed inflation rate as the interest rate and no contributions: at 2.5% a year, a $3,000 monthly budget today becomes about $4,900 in twenty years; at 3.5% it becomes $6,000. The rule of 72 gives a quick check: 72 divided by the rate is the number of years for prices to double, about 29 years at 2.5% and 21 years at 3.5%. The CAGR calculator turns any two CPI values into the equivalent annual rate.
What the CPI does and does not capture
- A basket, not your basket. CPI-U weights food, housing, transport, medical care and other categories by average urban spending. Education and healthcare have risen faster than the index; electronics and clothing slower.
- Quality adjustments. The BLS adjusts for improvements in products, so a 2025 car is compared with a 2000 car of equivalent features, not the same sticker price.
- Housing. The index uses rent and owners’ equivalent rent, not house prices, so property values can move very differently from the CPI.
- U.S. only. Other countries publish their own indices with different histories; use them for non-dollar amounts.
Using the result in planning
- Retirement targets. Compare your projected income with today’s spending in the same dollars before deciding whether savings are on track; the future value calculator and average return calculator help set a real return expectation.
- Old contracts and benefits. A pension or alimony fixed in 2010 dollars has lost about a third of its purchasing power by 2025.
- Historical comparisons. Ticket prices, wages and budgets from decades ago only make sense once converted to a common year.
- Cash holdings. Money in a non-interest account loses the full inflation rate each year; the cost of living calculator gives the monthly total that has to keep pace.
Common mistakes
- Entering a future year. The tool has data only through the current year; use the compound interest calculator for projections.
- Reading the current year as final. Its value is a partial-year average and will change as months are added.
- Comparing across countries. The index is for the U.S. dollar; a British pound amount needs the U.K. CPI or RPI.
- Treating category prices as the average. Tuition or rent in a specific city can differ from the index by several points a year.
External references
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Consumer Price Index
- FRED: CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPIAUCNS), the series used here
Frequently asked questions
Where does the data come from?
From the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U series, retrieved through the Federal Reserve’s FRED database and averaged by calendar year. Values match the official BLS inflation calculator to within rounding.
Why is 1913 the earliest year?
The BLS began the CPI in 1913. Earlier estimates exist from academic reconstructions but are not part of the official index.
Can I use a different inflation rate?
Not in this tool, which uses measured values. For a what-if with your own rate, use the compound interest calculator with the rate as interest and zero contributions.
How do I find today’s value of a past amount?
Enter the past year as the start year and the current year as the end year. The result is the amount in today’s money.
Is 3% inflation a lot?
It is close to the century-long average, but it halves purchasing power in about 23 years. That is why cash savings need to earn interest and long-term goals need growth assets.