U.S. inflation · 1996–2008
$100 in 1996 has the same buying power as
$137
in 2008
| Cumulative price change | 37.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.67% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $137 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $37.22 |
| CPI in 1996 | 156.9 |
| CPI in 2008 | 215.303 |
| Inflation in 1996 | 2.95% |
| Inflation in 2008 | 3.84% |
| $100 in 1996 → 2008 | $137 |
| $100 in 2008 → 1996 | $72.87 |
Between 1996 and 2008, the Consumer Price Index went from 156.9 to 215.303. Cumulatively, prices increased 37.2%, which works out to an average of 2.67% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1996 bought what $0.73 buys in 2008.
| Amount in 1996 | Value in 2008 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.37 |
| $5.00 | $6.86 |
| $10.00 | $13.72 |
| $20.00 | $27.44 |
| $50.00 | $68.61 |
| $100 | $137 |
| $500 | $686 |
| $1,000 | $1,372 |
| $5,000 | $6,861 |
| $10,000 | $13,722 |
| $100,000 | $137,223 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,372,231 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1996 spending costs in 2008, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1996 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.67% | $137 |
| Energy | 6.58% | $215 |
| Medical care | 3.97% | $160 |
| Housing | 2.94% | $142 |
| Food | 2.82% | $140 |
| Transportation | 2.64% | $137 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.22% | $130 |
| Education & communication | 2.19% | $130 |
| Recreation | 1.26% | $116 |
| Apparel | -0.85% | $90.29 |
| 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 |
| 2005 | 195.3 | 3.4% | $124 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $128 |
| 2007 | 207.342 | 2.8% | $132 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $137 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1996 to 2008: $100 is worth $137 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1996-to-2008/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1996 to 2008. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1996-to-2008/
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.