A dollar then,
in today’s money.
Any amount, any year since 1913, in today’s dollars, from the government’s own price index. Or look ahead: what today’s prices will be in 10 or 20 years.
BLS consumer price index, 1913 to September 2026 · Past and future · Year-by-year table
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$100 in 2000, in September 2026 dollars
$196
Prices rose
96%
A year, on average
2.6%
The same $100, in bags of groceries
The answer
In September 2026 dollars
$196
- Change in prices
- A year, on average
- $100 buys
- Time between
Prices for the whole country on average; your own costs (rent, tuition, food) can rise faster or slower. Past years are annual averages of the CPI-U; the current year is the September 2026 index. BLS published no October 2025 index; the 2025 average is its own. Future figures are an illustration at the rate you choose.
Figures checked November 2026. Sources: BLS, CPI-U all items, U.S. city average (series CUUR0000SA0) · BLS, Consumer Price Index · BLS CPI Inflation Calculator · Federal Reserve, the 2% longer-run goal.
How it works.
One index, every year
The Bureau of Labor Statistics prices the same basket of goods and services every month: food, rent, fuel, clothing, medical care. The index says what that basket costs compared with 1982 to 1984, when it was set to 100.
Then divide
To move an amount between years, scale it by how much the index moved.
amount × index(later) ÷ index(earlier)
Looking ahead, the same idea with a rate you choose: amount × (1 + rate)years.
What it means for savings
Money that earns less than inflation loses buying power even when the balance grows. The yearly rate here is the bar your savings have to clear, after tax, to stand still.
Questions people ask
How do you calculate inflation between two years?
Divide the consumer price index for the later year by the index for the earlier year, then multiply by the amount. With the figures used here, $100 in 2000 (index 172.2) is worth $100 × 336.94 ÷ 172.2 = $195.67 at September 2026 prices (index 336.94).
Which inflation figures does this calculator use?
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. city average, all items, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Each past year is its annual average. The current year uses the latest monthly index, September 2026, and is labelled with its month.
What was the inflation rate in 2025?
Using annual averages, consumer prices rose 2.6% in 2025, from an index of 313.689 in 2024 to 321.943. Over the 12 months to September 2026 they rose 3.7%.
Why is my answer different from the BLS calculator?
The BLS CPI Inflation Calculator compares single months. This page compares yearly averages, which smooth out the swings within a year, so the two can differ by a few percent for the same years. Use the one that matches what you are comparing.
What inflation rate should I use for the future?
No one knows it in advance. Prices have risen about 3.2% a year on average since 1913 and 3.7% over the last 12 months, and the Federal Reserve aims for 2% over the longer run. Try a few rates and plan with the higher one.