Inflation Calculator
See how inflation changes the value of money between any two years since 1913.
The Inflation Calculator measures how the value of money changes over time using the US Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), the government's headline measure of price changes. Enter an amount and two years — from 1913 to today — and it tells you the equivalent purchasing power in both directions plus the cumulative inflation over the whole period.
The numbers make history concrete: $1,000 in 1980 had the buying power of roughly $3,800 in 2024 dollars, because prices rose about 280% over those 44 years. That is why comparing prices or salaries across decades without adjusting for inflation is misleading — and it is exactly the adjustment this tool makes for you.
The tool uses official annual-average CPI-U values through the latest complete year and, for future years, projects at an inflation rate you set (a planning assumption rather than data). CPI measures average consumer prices; your personal 'inflation rate' depends on what you buy. All figures are estimates for education and planning, and the tool runs entirely in your browser.
Actual CPI data to 2024; later years are projected.
1,000 in 1980 is worth
$3,807.04
in 2024 dollars
Cumulative inflation
280.70%
price level change 1980 → 2024
Reverse (buying power)
$262.67
1,000 in 2024 ≈ 262.67 in 1980
Based on US CPI-U annual averages (1982–84 = 100). Other countries and cost-of-living differences will vary.
How to use the Inflation Calculator
- Enter the dollar amount you want to adjust.
- Pick the starting year from the CPI data list (1913–latest).
- Enter the ending year — past years use official data; future years are projected.
- If projecting into the future, set your assumed annual inflation rate.
- Read the equivalent amount, cumulative inflation and the reverse buying-power figure.
Frequently asked questions
What is CPI and where does the data come from?
CPI (Consumer Price Index) measures the average change in prices paid by urban consumers for a basket of goods and services. The values here are the official US CPI-U annual averages published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, indexed to 1982–84 = 100.
How do I calculate the buying power of an old amount?
Multiply the amount by the ratio of the two years' CPI values: equivalent = amount × CPI(end) ÷ CPI(start). For example, if CPI rose from 82.4 (1980) to 313.7 (2024), $1,000 in 1980 equals about 1000 × 313.7 ÷ 82.4 = $3,807 in 2024.
Why does $100 in 1913 equal so much today?
Because cumulative inflation over a century is enormous — the price level rose about 30-fold between 1913 and 2024 (CPI from 9.9 to over 300). Even modest annual inflation compounds relentlessly across generations, which is why long-term savers care so much about beating inflation.
Does inflation affect everyone the same way?
No. CPI reflects an average consumer basket. If your spending skews toward items with faster price growth (housing, healthcare, education), your personal inflation rate is higher; if you buy mostly goods with falling prices (electronics), it is lower. The tool gives the national average, not a personal figure.
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