U.S. inflation · 2008–2020
$100 in 2008 has the same buying power as
$120
in 2020
| Cumulative price change | 20.2% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 1.55% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $120 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $20.21 |
| CPI in 2008 | 215.303 |
| CPI in 2020 | 258.811 |
| Inflation in 2008 | 3.84% |
| Inflation in 2020 | 1.23% |
| $100 in 2008 → 2020 | $120 |
| $100 in 2020 → 2008 | $83.19 |
Between 2008 and 2020, the Consumer Price Index went from 215.303 to 258.811. Cumulatively, prices increased 20.2%, which works out to an average of 1.55% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 2008 bought what $0.83 buys in 2020.
| Amount in 2008 | Value in 2020 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.20 |
| $5.00 | $6.01 |
| $10.00 | $12.02 |
| $20.00 | $24.04 |
| $50.00 | $60.10 |
| $100 | $120 |
| $500 | $601 |
| $1,000 | $1,202 |
| $5,000 | $6,010 |
| $10,000 | $12,021 |
| $100,000 | $120,208 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,202,078 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 2008 spending costs in 2020, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 2008 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 1.55% | $120 |
| Medical care | 3.00% | $143 |
| Housing | 1.92% | $126 |
| Food | 1.86% | $125 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 1.82% | $124 |
| Education & communication | 1.06% | $113 |
| Recreation | 0.64% | $108 |
| Transportation | 0.24% | $103 |
| Apparel | -0.06% | $99.30 |
| Energy | -1.52% | $83.22 |
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $100 |
| 2009 | 214.537 | -0.4% | $99.64 |
| 2010 | 218.056 | 1.6% | $101 |
| 2011 | 224.939 | 3.2% | $104 |
| 2012 | 229.594 | 2.1% | $107 |
| 2013 | 232.957 | 1.5% | $108 |
| 2014 | 236.736 | 1.6% | $110 |
| 2015 | 237.017 | 0.1% | $110 |
| 2016 | 240.007 | 1.3% | $111 |
| 2017 | 245.12 | 2.1% | $114 |
| 2018 | 251.107 | 2.4% | $117 |
| 2019 | 255.657 | 1.8% | $119 |
| 2020 | 258.811 | 1.2% | $120 |
MLA: “Inflation from 2008 to 2020: $100 is worth $120 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/2008-to-2020/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 2008 to 2020. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/2008-to-2020/
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.