How this calculator works
Inflation is measured in the US by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The index tracks the price of a broad basket of goods and services. To convert money between years, the calculator multiplies the amount by the ratio of the two years' index values.
Value in year B = amount × CPI in year B ÷ CPI in year A
For example, the yearly average CPI was 172.2 in 2000 and 336.9 in September 2026, so $100 in 2000 buys about what $196 buys today. That is an average inflation rate of roughly 2.6% a year over the period.
Notes on the data
Each past year uses that year's average CPI. The current year uses the most recent monthly figure. The BLS did not publish a CPI for October 2025 because of the federal government shutdown, so the 2025 average uses the eleven months available. Inflation for your own spending can differ from the national index depending on where you live and what you buy.
What $100 from past years is worth now
Using the CPI figures in this calculator, $100 in 1990 has the buying power of about $258 today, $100 in 2000 about $196, $100 in 2010 about $155 and $100 in 2020 about $130. Put the other way, a dollar today buys roughly what 39 cents bought in 1990.
Inflation was low through most of the 2010s and jumped in 2021 and 2022, which is why the change since 2020 is larger than the decade before it might suggest.
Common questions
What is $100 in 2000 worth today?
About $196 in 2026 dollars, based on CPI-U.
What is the average US inflation rate?
Over the long run since 1913, around 3% a year, but it varies widely by decade.
Why does the 2025 figure use 11 months?
October 2025 CPI data was not collected or published because of the government shutdown.
Sources
This calculator gives estimates for planning. Real returns, rates and prices change, so treat the result as a guide rather than a promise. Read how we build and check our calculators.