U.S. inflation · 1996–2011
$100 in 1996 has the same buying power as
$143
in 2011
| Cumulative price change | 43.4% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.43% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $143 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $43.36 |
| CPI in 1996 | 156.9 |
| CPI in 2011 | 224.939 |
| Inflation in 1996 | 2.95% |
| Inflation in 2011 | 3.16% |
| $100 in 1996 → 2011 | $143 |
| $100 in 2011 → 1996 | $69.75 |
Between 1996 and 2011, the Consumer Price Index went from 156.9 to 224.939. Cumulatively, prices increased 43.4%, which works out to an average of 2.43% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1996 bought what $0.70 buys in 2011.
| Amount in 1996 | Value in 2011 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.43 |
| $5.00 | $7.17 |
| $10.00 | $14.34 |
| $20.00 | $28.67 |
| $50.00 | $71.68 |
| $100 | $143 |
| $500 | $717 |
| $1,000 | $1,434 |
| $5,000 | $7,168 |
| $10,000 | $14,336 |
| $100,000 | $143,365 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,433,646 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1996 spending costs in 2011, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1996 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.43% | $143 |
| Energy | 5.45% | $222 |
| Medical care | 3.82% | $175 |
| Food | 2.68% | $149 |
| Transportation | 2.67% | $149 |
| Housing | 2.43% | $143 |
| Education & communication | 2.17% | $138 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.06% | $136 |
| Recreation | 1.02% | $116 |
| Apparel | -0.50% | $92.72 |
| 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 |
| 2009 | 214.537 | -0.4% | $137 |
| 2010 | 218.056 | 1.6% | $139 |
| 2011 | 224.939 | 3.2% | $143 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1996 to 2011: $100 is worth $143 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1996-to-2011/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1996 to 2011. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1996-to-2011/
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.