U.S. inflation · 2012–2026
$100 in 2012 has the same buying power as
$144
in 2026
| Cumulative price change | 44.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.66% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $144 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $44.45 |
| CPI in 2012 | 229.594 |
| CPI in 2026 | 331.655 |
| Inflation in 2012 | 2.07% |
| Inflation in 2026 | 3.02% |
| $100 in 2012 → 2026 | $144 |
| $100 in 2026 → 2012 | $69.23 |
Uses a partial-year average for the current year; updates with each CPI release.
Between 2012 and 2026, the Consumer Price Index went from 229.594 to 331.655. Cumulatively, prices increased 44.5%, which works out to an average of 2.66% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 2012 bought what $0.69 buys in 2026.
| Amount in 2012 | Value in 2026 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.44 |
| $5.00 | $7.22 |
| $10.00 | $14.45 |
| $20.00 | $28.89 |
| $50.00 | $72.23 |
| $100 | $144 |
| $500 | $722 |
| $1,000 | $1,445 |
| $5,000 | $7,223 |
| $10,000 | $14,445 |
| $100,000 | $144,453 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,444,528 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 2012 spending costs in 2026, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 2012 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.66% | $144 |
| Housing | 3.43% | $160 |
| Food | 2.89% | $149 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.74% | $146 |
| Medical care | 2.58% | $143 |
| Transportation | 1.96% | $131 |
| Energy | 1.78% | $128 |
| Recreation | 1.66% | $126 |
| Education & communication | 0.69% | $110 |
| Apparel | 0.53% | $108 |
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 229.594 | 2.1% | $100 |
| 2013 | 232.957 | 1.5% | $101 |
| 2014 | 236.736 | 1.6% | $103 |
| 2015 | 237.017 | 0.1% | $103 |
| 2016 | 240.007 | 1.3% | $105 |
| 2017 | 245.12 | 2.1% | $107 |
| 2018 | 251.107 | 2.4% | $109 |
| 2019 | 255.657 | 1.8% | $111 |
| 2020 | 258.811 | 1.2% | $113 |
| 2021 | 270.97 | 4.7% | $118 |
| 2022 | 292.655 | 8.0% | $127 |
| 2023 | 304.702 | 4.1% | $133 |
| 2024 | 313.689 | 2.9% | $137 |
| 2025 | 321.943 | 2.6% | $140 |
| 2026 | 331.655 | 3.0% | $144 |
MLA: “Inflation from 2012 to 2026: $100 is worth $144 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/2012-to-2026/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 2012 to 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/2012-to-2026/
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.