U.S. inflation · 1953–2021
$100 in 1953 has the same buying power as
$1,015
in 2021
| Cumulative price change | 914.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.47% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,015 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $915 |
| CPI in 1953 | 26.7 |
| CPI in 2021 | 270.97 |
| Inflation in 1953 | 0.75% |
| Inflation in 2021 | 4.70% |
| $100 in 1953 → 2021 | $1,015 |
| $100 in 2021 → 1953 | $9.85 |
Between 1953 and 2021, the Consumer Price Index went from 26.7 to 270.97. Cumulatively, prices increased 914.9%, which works out to an average of 3.47% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1953 bought what $0.10 buys in 2021.
| Amount in 1953 | Value in 2021 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $10.15 |
| $5.00 | $50.74 |
| $10.00 | $101 |
| $20.00 | $203 |
| $50.00 | $507 |
| $100 | $1,015 |
| $500 | $5,074 |
| $1,000 | $10,149 |
| $5,000 | $50,743 |
| $10,000 | $101,487 |
| $100,000 | $1,014,869 |
| $1,000,000 | $10,148,689 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1953 spending costs in 2021, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1953 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.47% | $1,015 |
| Medical care | 5.15% | $3,036 |
| Food | 3.42% | $981 |
| Transportation | 3.23% | $870 |
| Apparel | 1.53% | $281 |
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 |
| 2021 | 270.97 | 4.7% | $1,015 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1953 to 2021: $100 is worth $1,015 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1953-to-2021/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1953 to 2021. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1953-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.