U.S. inflation · 1997–2021
$100 in 1997 has the same buying power as
$169
in 2021
| Cumulative price change | 68.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.21% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $169 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $68.83 |
| CPI in 1997 | 160.5 |
| CPI in 2021 | 270.97 |
| Inflation in 1997 | 2.29% |
| Inflation in 2021 | 4.70% |
| $100 in 1997 → 2021 | $169 |
| $100 in 2021 → 1997 | $59.23 |
Between 1997 and 2021, the Consumer Price Index went from 160.5 to 270.97. Cumulatively, prices increased 68.8%, which works out to an average of 2.21% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1997 bought what $0.59 buys in 2021.
| Amount in 1997 | Value in 2021 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.69 |
| $5.00 | $8.44 |
| $10.00 | $16.88 |
| $20.00 | $33.77 |
| $50.00 | $84.41 |
| $100 | $169 |
| $500 | $844 |
| $1,000 | $1,688 |
| $5,000 | $8,441 |
| $10,000 | $16,883 |
| $100,000 | $168,829 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,688,287 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1997 spending costs in 2021, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1997 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.21% | $169 |
| Medical care | 3.42% | $224 |
| Energy | 3.22% | $214 |
| Housing | 2.46% | $179 |
| Food | 2.40% | $177 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.07% | $164 |
| Transportation | 1.97% | $160 |
| Education & communication | 1.56% | $145 |
| Recreation | 0.96% | $126 |
| Apparel | -0.39% | $91.04 |
| 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 |
| 2011 | 224.939 | 3.2% | $140 |
| 2012 | 229.594 | 2.1% | $143 |
| 2013 | 232.957 | 1.5% | $145 |
| 2014 | 236.736 | 1.6% | $147 |
| 2015 | 237.017 | 0.1% | $148 |
| 2016 | 240.007 | 1.3% | $150 |
| 2017 | 245.12 | 2.1% | $153 |
| 2018 | 251.107 | 2.4% | $156 |
| 2019 | 255.657 | 1.8% | $159 |
| 2020 | 258.811 | 1.2% | $161 |
| 2021 | 270.97 | 4.7% | $169 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1997 to 2021: $100 is worth $169 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1997-to-2021/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1997 to 2021. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1997-to-2021/
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.