U.S. inflation · 1996–2018
$100 in 1996 has the same buying power as
$160
in 2018
| Cumulative price change | 60.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.16% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $160 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $60.04 |
| CPI in 1996 | 156.9 |
| CPI in 2018 | 251.107 |
| Inflation in 1996 | 2.95% |
| Inflation in 2018 | 2.44% |
| $100 in 1996 → 2018 | $160 |
| $100 in 2018 → 1996 | $62.48 |
Between 1996 and 2018, the Consumer Price Index went from 156.9 to 251.107. Cumulatively, prices increased 60.0%, which works out to an average of 2.16% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1996 bought what $0.62 buys in 2018.
| Amount in 1996 | Value in 2018 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.60 |
| $5.00 | $8.00 |
| $10.00 | $16.00 |
| $20.00 | $32.01 |
| $50.00 | $80.02 |
| $100 | $160 |
| $500 | $800 |
| $1,000 | $1,600 |
| $5,000 | $8,002 |
| $10,000 | $16,004 |
| $100,000 | $160,043 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,600,427 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1996 spending costs in 2018, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1996 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.16% | $160 |
| Medical care | 3.48% | $212 |
| Energy | 3.20% | $200 |
| Housing | 2.42% | $169 |
| Food | 2.31% | $165 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.03% | $156 |
| Transportation | 1.78% | $147 |
| Education & communication | 1.66% | $144 |
| Recreation | 0.92% | $122 |
| Apparel | -0.21% | $95.41 |
| 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 |
| 2012 | 229.594 | 2.1% | $146 |
| 2013 | 232.957 | 1.5% | $148 |
| 2014 | 236.736 | 1.6% | $151 |
| 2015 | 237.017 | 0.1% | $151 |
| 2016 | 240.007 | 1.3% | $153 |
| 2017 | 245.12 | 2.1% | $156 |
| 2018 | 251.107 | 2.4% | $160 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1996 to 2018: $100 is worth $160 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1996-to-2018/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1996 to 2018. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1996-to-2018/
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.