Inflation Adjustment Calculator
Find what a past dollar amount is worth today using CPI data.
Adjust any amount between any two years to see the real purchasing power change over time.
Inflation adjustment converts a historical dollar amount into its equivalent value in a different year using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) — revealing how the real purchasing power of money changes over time.
Core formula: Adjusted Value = Original Amount × (CPI in Target Year ÷ CPI in Base Year)
Where:
- Original Amount = the dollar figure you want to adjust
- CPI in Target Year = the Consumer Price Index for the year you’re converting to
- CPI in Base Year = the Consumer Price Index for the year the original amount is from
- The US CPI base period is 1982–1984 = 100
Historical US CPI values (annual averages):
| Year | CPI-U | Year | CPI-U |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 24.1 | 1990 | 130.7 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | 2000 | 172.2 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | 2010 | 218.1 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 2020 | 258.8 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 2023 | 304.7 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 2024 | 314.2 |
Worked examples:
Example 1 — What was $100 in 1970 worth in 2024? Adjusted = $100 × (314.2 ÷ 38.8) = $100 × 8.10 = $810 $100 bought in 1970 what costs $810 today.
Example 2 — What is a $65,000 salary in 2010 worth in 2024? Adjusted = $65,000 × (314.2 ÷ 218.1) = $65,000 × 1.44 = $93,587 If your salary hasn’t grown by at least 44% since 2010, your real purchasing power has declined.
Limitation: The CPI measures an average basket of goods. Individual inflation rates vary dramatically — healthcare and housing have inflated far faster than the CPI average, while electronics and appliances have deflated. The CPI-U is appropriate for general comparison but may not reflect your personal spending patterns.
How we build and check this calculator
This calculator runs entirely in your browser, so the numbers you enter stay on your device. The math behind it is written by hand and tested against worked examples and standard references before the page goes live.
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