What $100 from the past is worth in 2025
| Year | CPI | $100 then equals in 2025 |
|---|
| 1920 | 20 | $1,609 |
| 1930 | 16.7 | $1,928 |
| 1940 | 14 | $2,299 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | $1,336 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | $1,087 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | $830 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | $391 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | $246 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | $187 |
| 2010 | 218.056 | $148 |
| 2020 | 258.811 | $124 |
How inflation is calculated
Value in year B = amount × CPI(B) ÷ CPI(A)
Average yearly inflation = (CPI(B) ÷ CPI(A))^(1 ÷ years) − 1
Example: $100 in 2000 (CPI 172.2) is worth about $100 × 313.689 ÷ 172.2 = $182.17 in 2024 prices. Prices rose 82% over 24 years, about 2.5% a year.
Why inflation matters
- Savings: cash earning less than inflation loses buying power each year.
- Salaries: a raise smaller than inflation is a pay cut in real terms.
- Retirement: at 3% inflation, prices double in about 24 years, so plan for rising costs.
Data: US Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U, annual averages (1982–84 = 100), via the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Plan ahead with the retirement calculator or see real returns with the compound interest calculator.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How does the inflation calculator work?
It uses the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The value in the later year equals the amount × (CPI in the later year ÷ CPI in the earlier year). It works forward (what is $100 from 1990 worth today?) and backward.
What is the CPI?
The Consumer Price Index measures the average change over time in prices paid by urban consumers for a basket of goods and services, including food, housing, transport, medical care and entertainment. The index is set so the 1982–84 average equals 100.
Why is 2025 and 2026 data marked as estimated?
The BLS did not publish a full set of 2025 data because October 2025 figures were not collected during the federal government shutdown, so the 2025 annual average uses the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis estimate. The 2026 value is the average of the months published so far (January to September).
What is the average inflation rate in the US?
Since 1913, US consumer prices have risen about 3.2% a year on average. The Federal Reserve targets 2% a year over the long run. Inflation was very high in the 1970s and early 1980s and spiked again in 2021–2022.
Does this work for salaries?
Yes. Enter a past salary to see what it would need to be today to buy the same things. If your pay rose less than inflation, your real (inflation-adjusted) income fell.