U.S. inflation · 1953–2020
$100 in 1953 has the same buying power as
$969
in 2020
| Cumulative price change | 869.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.45% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $969 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $869 |
| CPI in 1953 | 26.7 |
| CPI in 2020 | 258.811 |
| Inflation in 1953 | 0.75% |
| Inflation in 2020 | 1.23% |
| $100 in 1953 → 2020 | $969 |
| $100 in 2020 → 1953 | $10.32 |
Between 1953 and 2020, the Consumer Price Index went from 26.7 to 258.811. Cumulatively, prices increased 869.3%, which works out to an average of 3.45% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1953 bought what $0.10 buys in 2020.
| Amount in 1953 | Value in 2020 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $9.69 |
| $5.00 | $48.47 |
| $10.00 | $96.93 |
| $20.00 | $194 |
| $50.00 | $485 |
| $100 | $969 |
| $500 | $4,847 |
| $1,000 | $9,693 |
| $5,000 | $48,466 |
| $10,000 | $96,933 |
| $100,000 | $969,330 |
| $1,000,000 | $9,693,296 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1953 spending costs in 2020, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1953 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.45% | $969 |
| Medical care | 5.21% | $2,999 |
| Food | 3.41% | $944 |
| Transportation | 3.07% | $760 |
| Apparel | 1.52% | $274 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1953: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1953 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | 26.7 | 0.8% | $100 |
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $108 |
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $115 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $130 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $166 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $244 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $373 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $443 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $541 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $610 |
| 2003 | 184 | 2.3% | $689 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $806 |
| 2013 | 232.957 | 1.5% | $872 |
| 2018 | 251.107 | 2.4% | $940 |
| 2020 | 258.811 | 1.2% | $969 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1953 to 2020: $100 is worth $969 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1953-to-2020/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1953 to 2020. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1953-to-2020/
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.