U.S. inflation · 1997–2023
$100 in 1997 has the same buying power as
$190
in 2023
| Cumulative price change | 89.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.50% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $190 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $89.85 |
| CPI in 1997 | 160.5 |
| CPI in 2023 | 304.702 |
| Inflation in 1997 | 2.29% |
| Inflation in 2023 | 4.12% |
| $100 in 1997 → 2023 | $190 |
| $100 in 2023 → 1997 | $52.67 |
Between 1997 and 2023, the Consumer Price Index went from 160.5 to 304.702. Cumulatively, prices increased 89.8%, which works out to an average of 2.50% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1997 bought what $0.53 buys in 2023.
| Amount in 1997 | Value in 2023 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.90 |
| $5.00 | $9.49 |
| $10.00 | $18.98 |
| $20.00 | $37.97 |
| $50.00 | $94.92 |
| $100 | $190 |
| $500 | $949 |
| $1,000 | $1,898 |
| $5,000 | $9,492 |
| $10,000 | $18,985 |
| $100,000 | $189,845 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,898,455 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1997 spending costs in 2023, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1997 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.50% | $190 |
| Energy | 3.65% | $254 |
| Medical care | 3.32% | $234 |
| Food | 2.81% | $205 |
| Housing | 2.78% | $204 |
| Transportation | 2.39% | $185 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.33% | $182 |
| Education & communication | 1.51% | $148 |
| Recreation | 1.21% | $137 |
| Apparel | -0.07% | $98.25 |
| 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 |
| 2022 | 292.655 | 8.0% | $182 |
| 2023 | 304.702 | 4.1% | $190 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1997 to 2023: $100 is worth $190 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1997-to-2023/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1997 to 2023. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1997-to-2023/
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.