U.S. inflation · 2021–2026
$100 in 2021 has the same buying power as
$122
in 2026
| Cumulative price change | 22.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.07% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $122 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $22.05 |
| CPI in 2021 | 270.97 |
| CPI in 2026 | 330.724 |
| Inflation in 2021 | 4.70% |
| Inflation in 2026 | 2.73% |
| $100 in 2021 → 2026 | $122 |
| $100 in 2026 → 2021 | $81.93 |
Uses a partial-year average for the current year; updates with each CPI release.
Between 2021 and 2026, the Consumer Price Index went from 270.97 to 330.724. Cumulatively, prices increased 22.1%, which works out to an average of 4.07% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 2021 bought what $0.82 buys in 2026.
| Amount in 2021 | Value in 2026 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.22 |
| $5.00 | $6.10 |
| $10.00 | $12.21 |
| $20.00 | $24.41 |
| $50.00 | $61.03 |
| $100 | $122 |
| $500 | $610 |
| $1,000 | $1,221 |
| $5,000 | $6,103 |
| $10,000 | $12,205 |
| $100,000 | $122,052 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,220,519 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 2021 spending costs in 2026, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 2021 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.07% | $122 |
| Energy | 5.46% | $130 |
| Housing | 4.87% | $127 |
| Food | 4.59% | $125 |
| Transportation | 4.22% | $123 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.85% | $121 |
| Recreation | 2.86% | $115 |
| Medical care | 2.42% | $113 |
| Apparel | 2.39% | $113 |
| Education & communication | 0.58% | $103 |
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 270.97 | 4.7% | $100 |
| 2022 | 292.655 | 8.0% | $108 |
| 2023 | 304.702 | 4.1% | $112 |
| 2024 | 313.689 | 2.9% | $116 |
| 2025 | 321.943 | 2.6% | $119 |
| 2026 | 330.724 | 2.7% | $122 |
MLA: “Inflation from 2021 to 2026: $100 is worth $122 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/2021-to-2026/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 2021 to 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/2021-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.