U.S. inflation · 1962–2026
$100 in 1962 has the same buying power as
$1,095
in 2026
| Cumulative price change | 995.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.81% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,095 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $995 |
| CPI in 1962 | 30.2 |
| CPI in 2026 | 330.724 |
| Inflation in 1962 | 1.00% |
| Inflation in 2026 | 2.73% |
| $100 in 1962 → 2026 | $1,095 |
| $100 in 2026 → 1962 | $9.13 |
Uses a partial-year average for the current year; updates with each CPI release.
Between 1962 and 2026, the Consumer Price Index went from 30.2 to 330.724. Cumulatively, prices increased 995.1%, which works out to an average of 3.81% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1962 bought what $0.09 buys in 2026.
| Amount in 1962 | Value in 2026 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $10.95 |
| $5.00 | $54.76 |
| $10.00 | $110 |
| $20.00 | $219 |
| $50.00 | $548 |
| $100 | $1,095 |
| $500 | $5,476 |
| $1,000 | $10,951 |
| $5,000 | $54,756 |
| $10,000 | $109,511 |
| $100,000 | $1,095,113 |
| $1,000,000 | $10,951,126 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1962 spending costs in 2026, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1962 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.81% | $1,095 |
| Medical care | 5.17% | $2,520 |
| Energy | 4.18% | $1,375 |
| Food | 3.87% | $1,136 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.77% | $1,066 |
| Transportation | 3.53% | $921 |
| Apparel | 1.70% | $294 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1962: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1962 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 30.2 | 1.0% | $100 |
| 1967 | 33.4 | 3.1% | $111 |
| 1972 | 41.8 | 3.2% | $138 |
| 1977 | 60.6 | 6.5% | $201 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $320 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $376 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $465 |
| 1997 | 160.5 | 2.3% | $531 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $596 |
| 2007 | 207.342 | 2.8% | $687 |
| 2012 | 229.594 | 2.1% | $760 |
| 2017 | 245.12 | 2.1% | $812 |
| 2022 | 292.655 | 8.0% | $969 |
| 2026 | 330.724 | 2.7% | $1,095 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1962 to 2026: $100 is worth $1,095 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1962-to-2026/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1962 to 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1962-to-2026/
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.