U.S. inflation · 1998–2004
$100 in 1998 has the same buying power as
$116
in 2004
| Cumulative price change | 15.9% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.49% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $116 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $15.89 |
| CPI in 1998 | 163 |
| CPI in 2004 | 188.9 |
| Inflation in 1998 | 1.56% |
| Inflation in 2004 | 2.66% |
| $100 in 1998 → 2004 | $116 |
| $100 in 2004 → 1998 | $86.29 |
Between 1998 and 2004, the Consumer Price Index went from 163 to 188.9. Cumulatively, prices increased 15.9%, which works out to an average of 2.49% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1998 bought what $0.86 buys in 2004.
| Amount in 1998 | Value in 2004 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.16 |
| $5.00 | $5.79 |
| $10.00 | $11.59 |
| $20.00 | $23.18 |
| $50.00 | $57.94 |
| $100 | $116 |
| $500 | $579 |
| $1,000 | $1,159 |
| $5,000 | $5,794 |
| $10,000 | $11,589 |
| $100,000 | $115,890 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,158,896 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1998 spending costs in 2004, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1998 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.49% | $116 |
| Energy | 6.65% | $147 |
| Medical care | 4.21% | $128 |
| Housing | 2.82% | $118 |
| Food | 2.49% | $116 |
| Transportation | 2.38% | $115 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.11% | $113 |
| Education & communication | 1.80% | $111 |
| Recreation | 1.20% | $107 |
| Apparel | -1.65% | $90.53 |
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1998 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $100 |
| 1999 | 166.6 | 2.2% | $102 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | 3.4% | $106 |
| 2001 | 177.1 | 2.8% | $109 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $110 |
| 2003 | 184 | 2.3% | $113 |
| 2004 | 188.9 | 2.7% | $116 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1998 to 2004: $100 is worth $116 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1998-to-2004/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1998 to 2004. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1998-to-2004/
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.