U.S. inflation · 1921–2022
$100 in 1921 has the same buying power as
$1,635
in 2022
| Cumulative price change | 1534.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.81% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,635 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $1,535 |
| CPI in 1921 | 17.9 |
| CPI in 2022 | 292.655 |
| Inflation in 1921 | -10.50% |
| Inflation in 2022 | 8.00% |
| $100 in 1921 → 2022 | $1,635 |
| $100 in 2022 → 1921 | $6.12 |
Between 1921 and 2022, the Consumer Price Index went from 17.9 to 292.655. Cumulatively, prices increased 1534.9%, which works out to an average of 2.81% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1921 bought what $0.06 buys in 2022.
| Amount in 1921 | Value in 2022 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $16.35 |
| $5.00 | $81.75 |
| $10.00 | $163 |
| $20.00 | $327 |
| $50.00 | $817 |
| $100 | $1,635 |
| $500 | $8,175 |
| $1,000 | $16,349 |
| $5,000 | $81,747 |
| $10,000 | $163,494 |
| $100,000 | $1,634,944 |
| $1,000,000 | $16,349,441 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1921 spending costs in 2022, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1921 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.81% | $1,635 |
| Food | 2.97% | $1,921 |
| Apparel | 1.34% | $383 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1921: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), medical care (1935–), transportation (1935–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1921 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 17.9 | -10.5% | $100 |
| 1926 | 17.7 | 1.1% | $98.88 |
| 1931 | 15.2 | -9.0% | $84.92 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $77.65 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $82.12 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $109 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $145 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $152 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $167 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $181 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $226 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $318 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $508 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $612 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $761 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $877 |
| 2001 | 177.1 | 2.8% | $989 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $1,126 |
| 2011 | 224.939 | 3.2% | $1,257 |
| 2016 | 240.007 | 1.3% | $1,341 |
| 2021 | 270.97 | 4.7% | $1,514 |
| 2022 | 292.655 | 8.0% | $1,635 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
2022 was the year inflation returned. Consumer prices rose 8.0% on average, the worst since 1981, driven by pandemic-era supply chains, stimulus-fueled demand, and an energy shock from the war in Ukraine. Gas briefly topped $5 a gallon nationally for the first time ever, and “inflation” became the top-ranked economic concern in nearly every poll of American households.
MLA: “Inflation from 1921 to 2022: $100 is worth $1,635 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1921-to-2022/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1921 to 2022. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1921-to-2022/
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U annual averages (series CUUR0000SA0; category indexes listed on the data sources page). See how these numbers are calculated.