U.S. inflation · 1988–2021
$100 in 1988 has the same buying power as
$229
in 2021
| Cumulative price change | 129.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.54% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $229 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $129 |
| CPI in 1988 | 118.3 |
| CPI in 2021 | 270.97 |
| Inflation in 1988 | 4.14% |
| Inflation in 2021 | 4.70% |
| $100 in 1988 → 2021 | $229 |
| $100 in 2021 → 1988 | $43.66 |
Between 1988 and 2021, the Consumer Price Index went from 118.3 to 270.97. Cumulatively, prices increased 129.1%, which works out to an average of 2.54% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1988 bought what $0.44 buys in 2021.
| Amount in 1988 | Value in 2021 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.29 |
| $5.00 | $11.45 |
| $10.00 | $22.91 |
| $20.00 | $45.81 |
| $50.00 | $115 |
| $100 | $229 |
| $500 | $1,145 |
| $1,000 | $2,291 |
| $5,000 | $11,453 |
| $10,000 | $22,905 |
| $100,000 | $229,053 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,290,533 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1988 spending costs in 2021, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1988 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.54% | $229 |
| Medical care | 4.12% | $379 |
| Energy | 3.02% | $267 |
| Housing | 2.65% | $237 |
| Food | 2.62% | $235 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.48% | $225 |
| Transportation | 2.31% | $212 |
| Apparel | 0.14% | $105 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1988: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1988 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $100 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $110 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $119 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $125 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $133 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $138 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | 3.4% | $146 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $152 |
| 2004 | 188.9 | 2.7% | $160 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $170 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $182 |
| 2010 | 218.056 | 1.6% | $184 |
| 2012 | 229.594 | 2.1% | $194 |
| 2014 | 236.736 | 1.6% | $200 |
| 2016 | 240.007 | 1.3% | $203 |
| 2018 | 251.107 | 2.4% | $212 |
| 2020 | 258.811 | 1.2% | $219 |
| 2021 | 270.97 | 4.7% | $229 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1988 to 2021: $100 is worth $229 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1988-to-2021/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1988 to 2021. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1988-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.