U.S. inflation · 1997–2010
$100 in 1997 has the same buying power as
$136
in 2010
| Cumulative price change | 35.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.39% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $136 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $35.86 |
| CPI in 1997 | 160.5 |
| CPI in 2010 | 218.056 |
| Inflation in 1997 | 2.29% |
| Inflation in 2010 | 1.64% |
| $100 in 1997 → 2010 | $136 |
| $100 in 2010 → 1997 | $73.60 |
Between 1997 and 2010, the Consumer Price Index went from 160.5 to 218.056. Cumulatively, prices increased 35.9%, which works out to an average of 2.39% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1997 bought what $0.74 buys in 2010.
| Amount in 1997 | Value in 2010 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.36 |
| $5.00 | $6.79 |
| $10.00 | $13.59 |
| $20.00 | $27.17 |
| $50.00 | $67.93 |
| $100 | $136 |
| $500 | $679 |
| $1,000 | $1,359 |
| $5,000 | $6,793 |
| $10,000 | $13,586 |
| $100,000 | $135,860 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,358,604 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1997 spending costs in 2010, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1997 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.39% | $136 |
| Energy | 5.05% | $190 |
| Medical care | 3.96% | $166 |
| Food | 2.60% | $140 |
| Housing | 2.50% | $138 |
| Transportation | 2.28% | $134 |
| Education & communication | 2.16% | $132 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.07% | $131 |
| Recreation | 1.00% | $114 |
| Apparel | -0.81% | $89.92 |
| 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 |
| 2009 | 214.537 | -0.4% | $134 |
| 2010 | 218.056 | 1.6% | $136 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1997 to 2010: $100 is worth $136 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1997-to-2010/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1997 to 2010. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1997-to-2010/
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.