U.S. inflation · 1996–2004
$100 in 1996 has the same buying power as
$120
in 2004
| Cumulative price change | 20.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.35% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $120 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $20.40 |
| CPI in 1996 | 156.9 |
| CPI in 2004 | 188.9 |
| Inflation in 1996 | 2.95% |
| Inflation in 2004 | 2.66% |
| $100 in 1996 → 2004 | $120 |
| $100 in 2004 → 1996 | $83.06 |
Between 1996 and 2004, the Consumer Price Index went from 156.9 to 188.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 20.4%, which works out to an average of 2.35% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1996 bought what $0.83 buys in 2004.
| Amount in 1996 | Value in 2004 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.20 |
| $5.00 | $6.02 |
| $10.00 | $12.04 |
| $20.00 | $24.08 |
| $50.00 | $60.20 |
| $100 | $120 |
| $500 | $602 |
| $1,000 | $1,204 |
| $5,000 | $6,020 |
| $10,000 | $12,040 |
| $100,000 | $120,395 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,203,952 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1996 spending costs in 2004, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1996 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.35% | $120 |
| Energy | 4.06% | $138 |
| Medical care | 3.91% | $136 |
| Housing | 2.73% | $124 |
| Food | 2.46% | $121 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.17% | $119 |
| Education & communication | 1.99% | $117 |
| Transportation | 1.66% | $114 |
| Recreation | 1.37% | $111 |
| Apparel | -1.12% | $91.42 |
| 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 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | 3.4% | $110 |
| 2001 | 177.1 | 2.8% | $113 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $115 |
| 2003 | 184 | 2.3% | $117 |
| 2004 | 188.9 | 2.7% | $120 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1996 to 2004: $100 is worth $120 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1996-to-2004/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1996 to 2004. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1996-to-2004/
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.