U.S. inflation · 1951–2021
$100 in 1951 has the same buying power as
$1,042
in 2021
| Cumulative price change | 942.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.41% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,042 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $942 |
| CPI in 1951 | 26 |
| CPI in 2021 | 270.97 |
| Inflation in 1951 | 7.88% |
| Inflation in 2021 | 4.70% |
| $100 in 1951 → 2021 | $1,042 |
| $100 in 2021 → 1951 | $9.60 |
Between 1951 and 2021, the Consumer Price Index went from 26 to 270.97. Cumulatively, prices increased 942.2%, which works out to an average of 3.41% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1951 bought what $0.10 buys in 2021.
| Amount in 1951 | Value in 2021 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $10.42 |
| $5.00 | $52.11 |
| $10.00 | $104 |
| $20.00 | $208 |
| $50.00 | $521 |
| $100 | $1,042 |
| $500 | $5,211 |
| $1,000 | $10,422 |
| $5,000 | $52,110 |
| $10,000 | $104,219 |
| $100,000 | $1,042,192 |
| $1,000,000 | $10,421,923 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1951 spending costs in 2021, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1951 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.41% | $1,042 |
| Medical care | 5.12% | $3,304 |
| Food | 3.32% | $985 |
| Transportation | 3.28% | $957 |
| Apparel | 1.46% | $276 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1951: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1951 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $100 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $105 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $115 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $125 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $156 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $219 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $350 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $422 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $524 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $603 |
| 2001 | 177.1 | 2.8% | $681 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $775 |
| 2011 | 224.939 | 3.2% | $865 |
| 2016 | 240.007 | 1.3% | $923 |
| 2021 | 270.97 | 4.7% | $1,042 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1951 to 2021: $100 is worth $1,042 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1951-to-2021/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1951 to 2021. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1951-to-2021/
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.