Inflation Calculator
Find out how inflation has changed the value of money over time — free, no account required, and your numbers never leave your device. Enter any US dollar amount and choose two years to see the equivalent purchasing power, cumulative inflation, and average annual rate.
Equivalent value in 2024
$182.46
$100.00 in 2000 → $182.46 in 2024
Cumulative Inflation
+82.46%
Avg. Annual Rate
2.54%
Years Span
24 yrs
Buying Power Comparison
Based on U.S. CPI-U annual averages (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
How It Works
Enter an amount
Type the dollar amount you want to adjust. It can be any positive number — a salary, a purchase price, or just $1.
Pick your years
Choose a starting year and an ending year — any combination from 1913 to 2024. You can go forwards or backwards in time.
See the result instantly
The equivalent adjusted amount, total inflation percentage, and average annual rate appear straight away — calculated right here, never sent anywhere.
Compare buying power
The visual bar shows how the real purchasing power of your amount changed between the two years.
How to Use the Inflation Calculator
- Enter the dollar amount you want to convert.
- Select the From Year — the year in which your amount is expressed.
- Select the To Year — the year you want to convert to.
- Read the inflation-adjusted equivalent, cumulative inflation %, and average annual rate instantly.
- Use the buying power bar to visualise how much purchasing power was gained or lost.
Understanding the Results
| Result | What it means |
|---|---|
| Adjusted Amount | The equivalent dollar value in the destination year, accounting for inflation according to the US CPI-U. |
| Cumulative Inflation | The total percentage change in the price level between the two years. A positive number means prices rose (inflation); a negative number means they fell (deflation). |
| Avg. Annual Rate | The compound annual growth rate of the CPI over the selected period — the consistent yearly rate that would produce the same cumulative result. |
| Buying Power Bar | A visual comparison showing the relative purchasing power of your amount in each year. A shorter bar in the later year indicates inflation has reduced real value. |
Features
- Your data stays private: All calculations happen entirely in your browser — nothing is uploaded or stored on any server.
- No account required: Open the page and start calculating straight away.
- Real-time results: The adjusted value updates instantly as you change any input — no button to press.
- Wide date range: Covers every year from 1913 to 2024 using official BLS CPI-U annual averages.
- Works both ways: Convert forward in time (e.g., 1950 → 2024) or backwards (e.g., 2024 → 1970) to find historical equivalents.
- Average annual rate: See the compound annual inflation rate for any period, useful for comparing different eras.
About the CPI Data
This calculator uses the US Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The CPI-U tracks the average change in prices paid by urban consumers for a representative basket of goods and services, including food, housing, clothing, transportation, medical care, and recreation.
Annual averages are used (rather than monthly figures) to give a stable, commonly-cited reference. The index is expressed relative to the 1982–84 average, which equals 100.
What the Calculator Doesn't Cover
Because the CPI measures a broad average national basket of consumer goods:
- Individual product categories may have inflated at very different rates (e.g., housing and healthcare have historically outpaced the overall CPI).
- Regional differences are not captured — inflation in one city may differ from the national average.
- Investment returns are not accounted for — this calculator shows purchasing power change, not the return on invested money.
- Non-US currencies are not supported — the calculator covers the US dollar only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my financial data stored or shared?
No. All calculations run locally in your browser using JavaScript. The values you enter are never sent to or stored on any server.
What inflation data does this calculator use?
The calculator uses US CPI-U (Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers) annual averages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, covering 1913 to 2024. This is the standard measure of US consumer price inflation.
Can I calculate backwards — what was $100 in 2024 worth in 1990?
Yes. Set the "From Year" to 2024 and the "To Year" to 1990. The calculator works in both directions.
What is cumulative inflation?
Cumulative inflation is the total percentage increase (or decrease) in average prices over the entire period you select. For example, 120% cumulative inflation means prices have more than doubled — something that cost $100 at the start would cost $220 at the end.
Why does the same salary buy less today than in the past?
Inflation gradually reduces the purchasing power of money. If your salary hasn't kept pace with inflation, its real value — the amount of goods and services it can buy — has fallen. The inflation calculator helps you see exactly how much purchasing power has changed.
Is this tool free to use?
Yes, completely free. No account, no subscription, no limits — just open the page and use it.