FINANCIAL · INFLATION
Inflation Calculator
Calculate the equivalent buying power of a dollar amount between any two years from 1913 to 2024 using historical US BLS CPI-U data.
Data: BLS CPI-U (2026-01). Historical US data only — for educational use.
About This Calculator
See how the purchasing power of a dollar has changed over time. Enter an amount, a starting year, and an ending year to find the equivalent value in today's dollars (or any historical year) using official BLS CPI-U data.
How It Works
Select a dollar amount and two years to compare. The calculator looks up the annual average Consumer Price Index for both years from the BLS CPI-U series (CUUR0000SA0, 1982–84=100) and computes the equivalent amount using the ratio of the two index values. This is historical data only — no forward projection is offered.
The Formula
Equivalent = Amount × (CPI_to / CPI_from)
- CPI_to
- Annual average CPI-U for the target year
- CPI_from
- Annual average CPI-U for the source year
Frequently Asked Questions
- What CPI data does this calculator use?
- It uses the BLS CPI-U series CUUR0000SA0 (All Urban Consumers, U.S. City Average, All Items, 1982–84=100). Annual average values are used, with data through 2024. The dataset is updated annually.
- Can I calculate future inflation?
- No — this calculator shows historical buying power only. It does not project future inflation. For forward-looking projections, use an assumption-based compound interest calculator with your own rate estimate.
- Why does the equivalent amount differ from other inflation calculators?
- Small differences are normal due to rounding of CPI values and whether monthly or annual averages are used. This calculator uses annual averages published by the BLS.