Inflation Calculator - Historical CPI 1913 to 2026
Calculate how the purchasing power of money has changed over time using official US CPI data. Enter any amount and year range to see the inflation-adjusted value.
Quick start year:
Inflation-adjusted value
$2,494.26
$1,000 in 1990 has the same purchasing power as $2,494.26 in 2026.
Total inflation
149.43%
Avg annual rate
2.57%/yr
Years covered
36
Multiplier
2.494x
Purchasing power of $1,000 from 1990 to 2026 (hover for year detail)
Reverse calculation
$1,000 in 2026 had the same purchasing power as $400.92 in 1990.
Notable US inflation periods
Highlighted rows overlap with your selected year range. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Period | Annual rate | Primary cause |
|---|---|---|
| 1917-1920 | 14.6% avg | World War I |
| 1946-1948 | 9.1% avg | Post-WWII reconversion |
| 1973-1975 | 9.8% avg | Oil embargo |
| 1978-1981 | 10.9% avg | Energy crisis |
| 2021-2022in range | 7.5% avg | Pandemic recovery |
| 2023-2026in range | 3.1% avg | Post-surge normalization |
2025 and 2026 values are estimates based on projected CPI. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
How to calculate the inflation-adjusted value of money
To calculate inflation-adjusted value, divide the CPI of the target year by the CPI of the starting year, then multiply by the original amount. The formula is: adjusted value = original amount x (target year CPI / starting year CPI). The calculator above applies this formula automatically using official US Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI data from 1913 to 2026.
For example, $1,000 in 1990 had a CPI of 130.7. In 2026 the CPI is approximately 326.0. The calculation is $1,000 x (326.0 / 130.7) = $2,494. This means $1,000 in 1990 buys the same amount as $2,494 in 2026. The chart above shows this purchasing power change year by year from your starting point to today.
The same formula powers the compound interest calculator, which lets you model how investments grow relative to inflation over time. For a deeper look at how compound growth works, see the compound interest guide.
What is purchasing power and why does it matter?
Purchasing power is the quantity of goods and services that a unit of currency can buy. When inflation rises, purchasing power falls: the same dollar buys fewer goods. Over 30 years at a 3% average inflation rate, purchasing power is cut roughly in half, meaning you need twice as much money to maintain the same standard of living.
Understanding purchasing power is essential for financial planning. A salary increase of 2% during a year with 4% inflation is effectively a 2% pay cut in real terms. Investment returns must exceed inflation to grow real wealth. Cash savings earning 0.5% interest while inflation runs at 3% lose purchasing power at 2.5% annually. The inflation calculator above makes these real-return calculations concrete and specific to any time period.
The net worth calculator and the salary to hourly calculator are useful companions here. Tracking real net worth over time requires adjusting asset values for inflation. Similarly, understanding whether a salary offer represents a real raise requires knowing the current inflation rate.
What was the US inflation rate by decade?
Average US inflation by decade: 1920s at 0.4% (deflationary depression years), 1930s at minus 2.0% (Great Depression deflation), 1940s at 5.6% (WWII and reconversion), 1950s at 2.1%, 1960s at 2.5%, 1970s at 7.1% (oil shocks), 1980s at 5.6%, 1990s at 3.0%, 2000s at 2.6%, 2010s at 1.8%, and 2020s at 4.5% so far (pandemic surge).
The 1970s stand out as the most damaging decade for purchasing power, with inflation averaging over 7% annually. $100 in 1970 had the purchasing power of only about $49 by 1980. The Volcker Fed aggressively raised interest rates to over 20% to break the inflation cycle, causing a deep recession in 1981 to 1982 but successfully bringing inflation down. Enter these years in the calculator to see the full impact on any specific amount.