U.S. inflation · 1987–2021
$100 in 1987 has the same buying power as
$239
in 2021
| Cumulative price change | 138.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.59% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $239 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $139 |
| CPI in 1987 | 113.6 |
| CPI in 2021 | 270.97 |
| Inflation in 1987 | 3.65% |
| Inflation in 2021 | 4.70% |
| $100 in 1987 → 2021 | $239 |
| $100 in 2021 → 1987 | $41.92 |
Between 1987 and 2021, the Consumer Price Index went from 113.6 to 270.97. Cumulatively, prices increased 138.5%, which works out to an average of 2.59% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1987 bought what $0.42 buys in 2021.
| Amount in 1987 | Value in 2021 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.39 |
| $5.00 | $11.93 |
| $10.00 | $23.85 |
| $20.00 | $47.71 |
| $50.00 | $119 |
| $100 | $239 |
| $500 | $1,193 |
| $1,000 | $2,385 |
| $5,000 | $11,926 |
| $10,000 | $23,853 |
| $100,000 | $238,530 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,385,299 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1987 spending costs in 2021, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1987 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.59% | $239 |
| Medical care | 4.19% | $404 |
| Energy | 2.95% | $269 |
| Housing | 2.68% | $246 |
| Food | 2.67% | $245 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.54% | $235 |
| Transportation | 2.33% | $219 |
| Apparel | 0.26% | $109 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1987: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1987 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $100 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $109 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $120 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $127 |
| 1995 | 152.4 | 2.8% | $134 |
| 1997 | 160.5 | 2.3% | $141 |
| 1999 | 166.6 | 2.2% | $147 |
| 2001 | 177.1 | 2.8% | $156 |
| 2003 | 184 | 2.3% | $162 |
| 2005 | 195.3 | 3.4% | $172 |
| 2007 | 207.342 | 2.8% | $183 |
| 2009 | 214.537 | -0.4% | $189 |
| 2011 | 224.939 | 3.2% | $198 |
| 2013 | 232.957 | 1.5% | $205 |
| 2015 | 237.017 | 0.1% | $209 |
| 2017 | 245.12 | 2.1% | $216 |
| 2019 | 255.657 | 1.8% | $225 |
| 2021 | 270.97 | 4.7% | $239 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1987 to 2021: $100 is worth $239 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1987-to-2021/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1987 to 2021. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1987-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.