U.S. inflation · 1961–2023
$100 in 1961 has the same buying power as
$1,019
in 2023
| Cumulative price change | 919.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.82% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,019 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $919 |
| CPI in 1961 | 29.9 |
| CPI in 2023 | 304.702 |
| Inflation in 1961 | 1.01% |
| Inflation in 2023 | 4.12% |
| $100 in 1961 → 2023 | $1,019 |
| $100 in 2023 → 1961 | $9.81 |
Between 1961 and 2023, the Consumer Price Index went from 29.9 to 304.702. Cumulatively, prices increased 919.1%, which works out to an average of 3.82% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1961 bought what $0.10 buys in 2023.
| Amount in 1961 | Value in 2023 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $10.19 |
| $5.00 | $50.95 |
| $10.00 | $102 |
| $20.00 | $204 |
| $50.00 | $510 |
| $100 | $1,019 |
| $500 | $5,095 |
| $1,000 | $10,191 |
| $5,000 | $50,954 |
| $10,000 | $101,907 |
| $100,000 | $1,019,070 |
| $1,000,000 | $10,190,702 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1961 spending costs in 2023, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1961 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.82% | $1,019 |
| Medical care | 5.26% | $2,398 |
| Energy | 4.17% | $1,259 |
| Food | 3.89% | $1,062 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.77% | $995 |
| Transportation | 3.58% | $887 |
| Apparel | 1.69% | $283 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1961: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1961 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $100 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $108 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $135 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $190 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $304 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $367 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $456 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $525 |
| 2001 | 177.1 | 2.8% | $592 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $674 |
| 2011 | 224.939 | 3.2% | $752 |
| 2016 | 240.007 | 1.3% | $803 |
| 2021 | 270.97 | 4.7% | $906 |
| 2023 | 304.702 | 4.1% | $1,019 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1961 to 2023: $100 is worth $1,019 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1961-to-2023/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1961 to 2023. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1961-to-2023/
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.