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Use this calculator to find the equivalent buying power over time for an amount in US dollars.

Consumer Price Index (CPI) Inflation Calculations

Converting buying power from one year to another is done by a ratio calculation using the starting value and the CPI's for the years being compared. Converting from Year 1 to Year 2 we state: Dollars in Year 1 is to Dollars in Year 2 as CPI in Year 1 is to CPI in Year 2.

DollarsYear1 / DollarsYear2 = CPIYear1 / CPIYear2, solving for DollarsYear2

DollarsYear2 = DollarsYear1 * CPIYear2 / CPIYear1

Example: $10.00 in 1980 has what buying power in 2010? From the table, CPI 2008 = 82.4 and CPI 2010 = 218.056. Converting we use:

DollarsYear2 = DollarsYear1 * CPIYear2 / CPIYear1 = $10.00 * 218.056 / 82.4 = $26.46. What cost $10.00 in 1980 would cost $26.46 in 2010.

Total inflation from Year 1 to Year 2 is a percentage change, positive or negative, and is a percentage change calculation.

Percentage change = ( ΔV / |V₁| ) * 100 = ((V₂ - V₁) / |V₁|) * 100

Calculating change from 1980 to 2010 using CPI:

Inflation = ( ΔV / |V₁| ) * 100 = ((V₂ - V₁) / |V₁|) * 100 = ((218.056 - 82.4) / |82.4|) * 100 = 164.63%.

Calculating change from 1980 to 2010 using known "buying power:"

Inflation = ( ΔV / |V₁| ) * 100 = ((V₂ - V₁) / |V₁|) * 100 = (($26.46 - $10.00) / |$10.00|) * 100 = 164.6%.

Inflation Index : CPI Table

Year	CPI
1913	9.9
1914	10.0
1915	10.1
1916	10.9
1917	12.8
1918	15.1
1919	17.3
1920	20.0
1921	17.9
1922	16.8

Year	CPI
1923	17.1
1924	17.1
1925	17.5
1926	17.7
1927	17.4
1928	17.1
1929	17.1
1930	16.7
1931	15.2
1932	13.7

Year	CPI
1933	13.0
1934	13.4
1935	13.7
1936	13.9
1937	14.4
1938	14.1
1939	13.9
1940	14.0
1941	14.7
1942	16.3

Year	CPI
1943	17.3
1944	17.6
1945	18.0
1946	19.5
1947	22.3
1948	24.1
1949	23.8
1950	24.1
1951	26.0
1952	26.5

Year	CPI
1953	26.7
1954	26.9
1955	26.8
1956	27.2
1957	28.1
1958	28.9
1959	29.1
1960	29.6
1961	29.9
1962	30.2

Year	CPI
1963	30.6
1964	31.0
1965	31.5
1966	32.4
1967	33.4
1968	34.8
1969	36.7
1970	38.8
1971	40.5
1972	41.8

Year	CPI
1973	44.4
1974	49.3
1975	53.8
1976	56.9
1977	60.6
1978	65.2
1979	72.6
1980	82.4
1981	90.9
1982	96.5

Year	CPI
1983	99.6
1984	103.9
1985	107.6
1986	109.6
1987	113.6
1988	118.3
1989	124.0
1990	130.7
1991	136.2
1992	140.3

Year	CPI
1993	144.5
1994	148.2
1995	152.4
1996	156.9
1997	160.5
1998	163.0
1999	166.6
2000	172.2
2001	177.1
2002	179.9

Year	CPI
2003	184.0
2004	188.9
2005	195.3
2006	201.6
2007	207.342
2008	215.303
2009	214.537
2010	218.056
2011	224.939
2012	229.594

Year	CPI
2013	232.945
2014	236.736
2015	237.017
2016	240.008
2017	245.120
2018	251.107
2019	255.657
2020	258.811
2021	267.054
2022	281.148

Last updated: February 26, 2022
The latest year uses monthly value from the latest full month.

The US government has been calculating the CPI since 1913.  This calculator uses the yearly averages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and when a full year of data is not available we use the latest month available in that year. You can find the most recently updated tables here and other consumer price index information and facts at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website along with their CPI Inflation Calculator.

Keep in mind that this is a cumulative total for urban areas and the government applies much more detail to the analysis of different aspects and sectors that affect the CPI.

Cite this content, page or calculator as:

Furey, Edward "Inflation Calculator" at https://www.calculatorsoup.com/calculators/financial/inflation-calculator.php from CalculatorSoup, https://www.calculatorsoup.com - Online Calculators

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