U.S. inflation · 1997–2008
$100 in 1997 has the same buying power as
$134
in 2008
| Cumulative price change | 34.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.71% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $134 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $34.15 |
| CPI in 1997 | 160.5 |
| CPI in 2008 | 215.303 |
| Inflation in 1997 | 2.29% |
| Inflation in 2008 | 3.84% |
| $100 in 1997 → 2008 | $134 |
| $100 in 2008 → 1997 | $74.55 |
Between 1997 and 2008, the Consumer Price Index went from 160.5 to 215.303. Cumulatively, prices increased 34.1%, which works out to an average of 2.71% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1997 bought what $0.75 buys in 2008.
| Amount in 1997 | Value in 2008 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.34 |
| $5.00 | $6.71 |
| $10.00 | $13.41 |
| $20.00 | $26.83 |
| $50.00 | $67.07 |
| $100 | $134 |
| $500 | $671 |
| $1,000 | $1,341 |
| $5,000 | $6,707 |
| $10,000 | $13,415 |
| $100,000 | $134,145 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,341,452 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1997 spending costs in 2008, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1997 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.71% | $134 |
| Energy | 7.08% | $212 |
| Medical care | 4.08% | $155 |
| Housing | 2.97% | $138 |
| Food | 2.84% | $136 |
| Transportation | 2.80% | $136 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.21% | $127 |
| Education & communication | 2.10% | $126 |
| Recreation | 1.17% | $114 |
| Apparel | -1.01% | $89.47 |
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1997 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 160.5 | 2.3% | $100 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $102 |
| 1999 | 166.6 | 2.2% | $104 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | 3.4% | $107 |
| 2001 | 177.1 | 2.8% | $110 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $112 |
| 2003 | 184 | 2.3% | $115 |
| 2004 | 188.9 | 2.7% | $118 |
| 2005 | 195.3 | 3.4% | $122 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $126 |
| 2007 | 207.342 | 2.8% | $129 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $134 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1997 to 2008: $100 is worth $134 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1997-to-2008/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1997 to 2008. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1997-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.