Oil crisis drives a major inflation spike and stagflation era.
Adjusted Value (USD)
$0.00
0.00%
Total Inflation
0.00%
Avg. Annual Rate
0.00%
Power Change
0.00%
Years Spanned
0
Visual Analysis
Purchasing Power Over Time
2000
2012
2024
Annual Inflation Rates (%)
2001
2012
2024
Value Comparison
Relative value between selected years.
100%
Relative Value
Cumulative Inflation Growth
Impact by Spending Categories
Housing 0%
Health 0%
Food 0%
Gas 0%
About this calculator
This free US inflation calculator uses Consumer Price Index (CPI) data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to calculate inflation by year from 1913 to today. Use it as a salary inflation calculator, a CPI inflation calculator, or a dollar inflation adjuster — simply enter any USD amount, choose your start and end years, and get an instant inflation-adjusted result.
Calculate by Year: Inflation calculator by year — compare purchasing power from 1913 to present
Future Projection: Future inflation calculator — project the impact of inflation on any dollar amount
Economic Milestones
Key inflation moments for historical context while evaluating your scenario.
U.S. inflation peaks near 13.5% before aggressive rate controls.
Financial crisis briefly pushes inflation into negative territory.
Post-pandemic supply shocks trigger the highest inflation in decades.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions — US Inflation & CPI Calculator
Short answers on CPI sourcing, purchasing power math, and projection assumptions.
Learn more: Read the complete guide →
What data source does this use?
We use Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
How is purchasing power calculated?
The tool uses the CPI ratio between two years: adjusted value = amount x (CPI end / CPI start).
What happens in Future Projection mode?
Years beyond the latest CPI data use your assumed annual inflation rate as the projection basis.
Why do some years move more than others?
Inflation changes year to year because prices, energy costs, supply chains, and demand conditions do not move evenly.
Can I use this to estimate future costs?
Yes, but only as a scenario tool. Future results depend on the annual rate you enter, not on a guaranteed market forecast.
Do all spending categories inflate the same way?
No. Housing, food, gas, and healthcare often change at different rates, which is why category-specific impact views matter.
How should I choose an assumed inflation rate?
Use a scenario range instead of a single guess. Many users test 2%, 3%, and 5% to compare conservative, baseline, and stress-case outcomes.
Does this calculator use core CPI or headline CPI?
This page uses CPI-U all items data for broad purchasing-power comparisons, which includes food and energy and aligns with the BLS inflation calculator reference.
Can this replace my budget planning spreadsheet?
Not fully. It is best used as a quick inflation model, then paired with your real spending categories, fixed obligations, and savings targets for planning decisions.
What is the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and how does this calculator use it?
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the average change over time in prices paid by consumers for goods and services. This CPI inflation calculator uses the CPI-U series published monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to compute accurate inflation-adjusted values.
Can I use this as a salary inflation calculator?
Yes. Enter your salary as the starting amount, set your start year (e.g., the year you were hired) and end year (e.g., today), and the calculator will show how much that salary is worth in today's dollars after adjusting for inflation.
How do I calculate the inflation rate between two years?
Select 'Calculate by Year,' enter any dollar amount, choose your start and end years, and the tool will display the total inflation rate (%) and the average annual inflation rate between those two years using BLS CPI data.
What does 'inflation adjustment calculator' mean?
An inflation adjustment calculator converts a dollar amount from one point in time to its equivalent value in another year, accounting for cumulative price changes. This tool does exactly that — enter a USD amount and adjust it for inflation across any historical range.
Data Integrity
Methodology and source verification
The purchasing-power math on this page is cross-checked against BLS CPI-U reference data, CPI ratio calculations, and official inflation-calculator methodology used for year-to-year price comparisons. The calculator estimates historical inflation effects and user-defined future scenarios, but it does not replace BLS source tables, custom regional CPI analysis, or contract-specific escalation clauses.
Verified
Reference basis: the calculation engine applies CPI ratio math for historical year-to-year adjustments, then uses your assumed annual rate when projecting beyond the latest published CPI data. The explanatory copy is anchored to BLS CPI definitions, CPI-U methodology, and the official BLS inflation calculator reference model.
BLS CPI Inflation Calculator
Used as the benchmark reference for historical purchasing-power comparisons based on CPI-U U.S. city average all-items data.
Open the BLS inflation calculatorBLS Consumer Price Index overview
Used for the formal definition of CPI as the measure of average change over time in prices paid by urban consumers.
Read the BLS CPI overviewBLS CPI calculation handbook
Used for the methodology language behind CPI construction, weighting, and inflation measurement assumptions.
View the BLS CPI calculation methodBLS CPI math calculations fact sheet
Used for ratio-based CPI math and the practical formulas behind inflation adjustment and percentage-change calculations.
Read the BLS CPI math guide