U.S. inflation · 1963–2026
$100 in 1963 has the same buying power as
$1,081
in 2026
| Cumulative price change | 980.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.85% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,081 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $981 |
| CPI in 1963 | 30.6 |
| CPI in 2026 | 330.724 |
| Inflation in 1963 | 1.32% |
| Inflation in 2026 | 2.73% |
| $100 in 1963 → 2026 | $1,081 |
| $100 in 2026 → 1963 | $9.25 |
Uses a partial-year average for the current year; updates with each CPI release.
Between 1963 and 2026, the Consumer Price Index went from 30.6 to 330.724. Cumulatively, prices increased 980.8%, which works out to an average of 3.85% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1963 bought what $0.09 buys in 2026.
| Amount in 1963 | Value in 2026 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $10.81 |
| $5.00 | $54.04 |
| $10.00 | $108 |
| $20.00 | $216 |
| $50.00 | $540 |
| $100 | $1,081 |
| $500 | $5,404 |
| $1,000 | $10,808 |
| $5,000 | $54,040 |
| $10,000 | $108,080 |
| $100,000 | $1,080,797 |
| $1,000,000 | $10,807,974 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1963 spending costs in 2026, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1963 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.85% | $1,081 |
| Medical care | 5.21% | $2,457 |
| Energy | 4.25% | $1,375 |
| Food | 3.91% | $1,118 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.81% | $1,053 |
| Transportation | 3.58% | $918 |
| Apparel | 1.71% | $290 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1963: housing (1967–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1963 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 30.6 | 1.3% | $100 |
| 1968 | 34.8 | 4.2% | $114 |
| 1973 | 44.4 | 6.2% | $145 |
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $213 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $325 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $387 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $472 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $533 |
| 2003 | 184 | 2.3% | $601 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $704 |
| 2013 | 232.957 | 1.5% | $761 |
| 2018 | 251.107 | 2.4% | $821 |
| 2023 | 304.702 | 4.1% | $996 |
| 2026 | 330.724 | 2.7% | $1,081 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1963 to 2026: $100 is worth $1,081 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1963-to-2026/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1963 to 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1963-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.