U.S. inflation · 1958–2003
$100 in 1958 has the same buying power as
$637
in 2003
| Cumulative price change | 536.7% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.20% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $637 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $537 |
| CPI in 1958 | 28.9 |
| CPI in 2003 | 184 |
| Inflation in 1958 | 2.85% |
| Inflation in 2003 | 2.28% |
| $100 in 1958 → 2003 | $637 |
| $100 in 2003 → 1958 | $15.71 |
Between 1958 and 2003, the Consumer Price Index went from 28.9 to 184. Cumulatively, prices increased 536.7%, which works out to an average of 4.20% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1958 bought what $0.16 buys in 2003.
| Amount in 1958 | Value in 2003 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $6.37 |
| $5.00 | $31.83 |
| $10.00 | $63.67 |
| $20.00 | $127 |
| $50.00 | $318 |
| $100 | $637 |
| $500 | $3,183 |
| $1,000 | $6,367 |
| $5,000 | $31,834 |
| $10,000 | $63,668 |
| $100,000 | $636,678 |
| $1,000,000 | $6,366,782 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1958 spending costs in 2003, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1958 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.20% | $637 |
| Medical care | 6.11% | $1,442 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.26% | $653 |
| Energy | 4.19% | $635 |
| Food | 4.05% | $596 |
| Transportation | 3.87% | $551 |
| Apparel | 2.24% | $271 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1958: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1958 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | 28.9 | 2.8% | $100 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 1.7% | $102 |
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $104 |
| 1964 | 31 | 1.3% | $107 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $112 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $120 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 5.7% | $134 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $145 |
| 1974 | 49.3 | 11.0% | $171 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $197 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $226 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $285 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $334 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $360 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $379 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $409 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $452 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $485 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $513 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $543 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $564 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | 3.4% | $596 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $622 |
| 2003 | 184 | 2.3% | $637 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1958 to 2003: $100 is worth $637 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1958-to-2003/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1958 to 2003. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1958-to-2003/
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.