A dollar is not a fixed amount of buying power. A $100 bill from 1990 is still legal tender, but it buys only what about $39 bought back then. To compare a price, a salary or an inheritance across years, you have to restate it in the same year's dollars, and the standard tool for that is the Consumer Price Index.
This guide shows what $1 and $100 from every decade since 1800 are worth today, how fast prices rose in each era, and the one-line formula to convert any amount yourself. For an exact answer for any year and amount, use the free Inflation Calculator.
Figures use the BLS CPI-U (US city average, all items) through September 2026, the latest release when this guide was written. Years before 1913 use Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis estimates.
The value of a dollar by decade
Each row shows the year's annual average CPI-U (1982–84 = 100) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and what that year's money is worth in September 2026, when the index stood at 336.940. Rows marked “est.” are from the Minneapolis Fed's historical series, rescaled to the same base.
| Year | CPI-U | $1 then is worth today | $100 then is worth today |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1800 (est.) | 17.0 | $19.82 | $1,982 |
| 1850 (est.) | 8.3 | $40.43 | $4,043 |
| 1900 (est.) | 8.3 | $40.43 | $4,043 |
| 1913 | 9.9 | $34.03 | $3,403 |
| 1920 | 20.0 | $16.85 | $1,685 |
| 1930 | 16.7 | $20.18 | $2,018 |
| 1940 | 14.0 | $24.07 | $2,407 |
| 1950 | 24.1 | $13.98 | $1,398 |
| 1960 | 29.6 | $11.38 | $1,138 |
| 1970 | 38.8 | $8.68 | $868 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | $4.09 | $409 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | $2.58 | $258 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | $1.96 | $196 |
| 2010 | 218.056 | $1.55 | $155 |
| 2015 | 237.017 | $1.42 | $142 |
| 2020 | 258.811 | $1.30 | $130 |
| 2025 | 321.943 | $1.05 | $105 |
Two things stand out. First, a dollar from 1900 was worth more than a dollar from 1800, because prices drifted down through most of the 19th century. Second, a dollar from 1940 was worth more than one from 1930: prices fell by about a quarter between 1929 and 1933 during the Great Depression.
How fast prices rose in each era
Long-run averages hide very different periods. Average yearly inflation, worked out from the same index:
| Period | Average per year | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| 1800–1913 (est.) | −0.5% | Prices fell overall; spikes in the War of 1812 and the Civil War reversed afterwards |
| 1913–1940 | 1.3% | World War I inflation (18% in 1918), then deflation in 1921 and the early 1930s |
| 1940–1970 | 3.5% | World War II and post-war jumps, then a calm 1950s and early 1960s |
| 1970–1982 | 7.9% | Oil shocks and the end of the gold link; 13.5% in 1980 |
| 1982–2000 | 3.3% | The Fed brought inflation down and kept it moderate |
| 2000–2020 | 2.1% | Close to the Fed's 2% goal |
| 2020–2025 | 4.5% | The post-pandemic surge, peaking at 8.0% in 2022 |
From 1913 to 2025 the average was about 3.2% a year. The Federal Reserve now aims for 2% inflation over the longer run. Between 2020 and 2025 prices rose 24.4% in total, which is why many everyday items still feel expensive even though the yearly rate has come down: a lower inflation rate means prices are rising more slowly, not that they are falling.
The formula: how to adjust any amount for inflation
To move an amount from one year to another:
Value in year B = amount in year A × CPI(year B) ÷ CPI(year A)
- Look up the annual average CPI-U for both years (BLS series CUUR0000SA0).
- Divide the later index by the earlier one to get how many times prices rose.
- Multiply your amount by that ratio.
Example: what is a $50,000 salary from 2015 worth now? $50,000 × 336.940 ÷ 237.017 ≈ $71,079. If you earn less than that today, your real pay has fallen, even if your paycheck went up. The calculator's salary check does this for you and shows the real change in pay.
Going backwards works the same way. $100 today, in 2000 dollars, is $100 × 172.2 ÷ 336.940 ≈ $51.11. That is how much buying power a $100 bill kept in a drawer since 2000 has lost: almost half.
Annual averages vs a single month
For whole years, use the annual average index, which smooths out seasonal swings. For a recent contract, rent increase or price check, a month-to-month comparison is more precise. The BLS publishes each month's index about two weeks after the month ends; the Inflation Calculator has a month mode for January 2025 onward and a full table of the US inflation rate by year since 1914.
One gap to know about: there is no CPI for October 2025, because BLS could not collect prices during the 2025 lapse in federal funding. BLS explains how the index is built in its CPI questions and answers.
What inflation means for your money
- Cash loses value. At 3% inflation, prices double in about 24 years (72 ÷ 3), so money in a drawer or a 0% account buys half as much.
- Compare real, not nominal, returns. A savings account paying 4% when inflation is 3.7% earns only about 0.3% in real terms. The compound interest calculator can show the inflation-adjusted balance.
- Plan in today's dollars. A retirement target of $1 million in 30 years is worth far less in today's money; the retirement calculator adjusts for this.
- Ask for raises that at least match CPI. Anything below the inflation rate is a pay cut in real terms.
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1950 worth today?
About $13.98 in September 2026 dollars. The 1950 annual average CPI-U was 24.1 and the September 2026 index is 336.940, so prices are about 14 times higher.
How much is $100 from 2000 worth today?
About $195.67. Put the other way round, $100 today buys what roughly $51 bought in 2000, so cash kept since 2000 has lost about half its buying power.
What was a dollar worth in 1800?
Using the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis historical estimates, $1 in 1800 is worth about $19.82 today. That is less than $1 from 1900 (about $40.43), because prices generally fell during the 1800s apart from wartime spikes.
Why did the dollar lose so much value after 1970?
Inflation averaged about 7.9% a year from 1970 to 1982, driven by oil price shocks and loose monetary policy, after the US ended the dollar's link to gold in 1971. Prices more than doubled in those 12 years. Since 1982 inflation has averaged closer to 3%.
How do I convert an old price into today's dollars?
Multiply the old price by today's CPI divided by the CPI in the old year. For example $5,000 in 1985: $5,000 × 336.940 ÷ 107.6 ≈ $15,657. The inflation calculator does this for any year from 1800.
Is CPI the right measure for my own costs?
CPI-U is an average for urban households. It is the standard measure for adjusting prices and pay, but your own inflation can differ: renters, people with long commutes and households that spend a lot on food or insurance have often seen faster price rises than the average since 2020.
This guide is general information, not professional advice. Rates and rules change — check the official source before you file or sign anything. See our Disclaimer.