U.S. inflation · 2004–2008
$100 in 2004 has the same buying power as
$114
in 2008
| Cumulative price change | 14.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.32% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $114 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $13.98 |
| CPI in 2004 | 188.9 |
| CPI in 2008 | 215.303 |
| Inflation in 2004 | 2.66% |
| Inflation in 2008 | 3.84% |
| $100 in 2004 → 2008 | $114 |
| $100 in 2008 → 2004 | $87.74 |
Between 2004 and 2008, the Consumer Price Index went from 188.9 to 215.303. Cumulatively, prices increased 14.0%, which works out to an average of 3.32% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 2004 bought what $0.88 buys in 2008.
| Amount in 2004 | Value in 2008 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.14 |
| $5.00 | $5.70 |
| $10.00 | $11.40 |
| $20.00 | $22.80 |
| $50.00 | $56.99 |
| $100 | $114 |
| $500 | $570 |
| $1,000 | $1,140 |
| $5,000 | $5,699 |
| $10,000 | $11,398 |
| $100,000 | $113,977 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,139,772 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 2004 spending costs in 2008, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 2004 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.32% | $114 |
| Energy | 11.82% | $156 |
| Transportation | 4.64% | $120 |
| Medical care | 4.09% | $117 |
| Food | 3.55% | $115 |
| Housing | 3.36% | $114 |
| Education & communication | 2.59% | $111 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.33% | $110 |
| Recreation | 1.05% | $104 |
| Apparel | -0.31% | $98.76 |
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 2004 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 188.9 | 2.7% | $100 |
| 2005 | 195.3 | 3.4% | $103 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $107 |
| 2007 | 207.342 | 2.8% | $110 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $114 |
MLA: “Inflation from 2004 to 2008: $100 is worth $114 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/2004-to-2008/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 2004 to 2008. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/2004-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.