U.S. inflation · 1996–1999
$100 in 1996 has the same buying power as
$106
in 1999
| Cumulative price change | 6.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.02% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $106 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $6.18 |
| CPI in 1996 | 156.9 |
| CPI in 1999 | 166.6 |
| Inflation in 1996 | 2.95% |
| Inflation in 1999 | 2.21% |
| $100 in 1996 → 1999 | $106 |
| $100 in 1999 → 1996 | $94.18 |
Between 1996 and 1999, the Consumer Price Index went from 156.9 to 166.6. Cumulatively, prices increased 6.2%, which works out to an average of 2.02% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1996 bought what $0.94 buys in 1999.
| Amount in 1996 | Value in 1999 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.06 |
| $5.00 | $5.31 |
| $10.00 | $10.62 |
| $20.00 | $21.24 |
| $50.00 | $53.09 |
| $100 | $106 |
| $500 | $531 |
| $1,000 | $1,062 |
| $5,000 | $5,309 |
| $10,000 | $10,618 |
| $100,000 | $106,182 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,061,823 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1996 spending costs in 1999, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1996 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.02% | $106 |
| Medical care | 3.17% | $110 |
| Housing | 2.37% | $107 |
| Food | 2.30% | $107 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.24% | $107 |
| Education & communication | 2.02% | $106 |
| Recreation | 1.55% | $105 |
| Transportation | 0.33% | $101 |
| Apparel | -0.10% | $99.70 |
| Energy | -1.07% | $96.82 |
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1996 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $100 |
| 1997 | 160.5 | 2.3% | $102 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $104 |
| 1999 | 166.6 | 2.2% | $106 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1996 to 1999: $100 is worth $106 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1996-to-1999/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1996 to 1999. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1996-to-1999/
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.