Calculate how inflation has affected purchasing power from 1980 to 2026. See what $100 was worth in any year. Free inflation calculator with CPI data.
Inflation is the gradual increase in prices over time — which means each dollar buys less. At 3% annual inflation, $100 today buys what $97 would buy next year. Over 25 years at 3%, your purchasing power is halved. Any savings not earning above the inflation rate are losing real value.
After peaking at 9.1% in June 2022 (highest since 1981), US inflation cooled to 2.4–3.2% range by 2025–2026. The Fed's target is 2% annual inflation. Our calculator uses official BLS CPI data updated through the most recent reported month.
The purchasing power of $100 in 2000 equals roughly $175–$185 in 2026 dollars — meaning you'd need $175–$185 today to buy what $100 bought in 2000. This represents a ~75–85% cumulative price increase. Enter any year and amount in our calculator to see the exact adjustment.
The US uses the Consumer Price Index (CPI) — a basket of goods and services (housing, food, energy, medical, transportation, education, recreation) tracked monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. CPI is the most commonly cited measure. PCE (Personal Consumption Expenditures) is the Fed's preferred inflation gauge.
Inflation-beating investments: Stock market (historical ~10% annual return beats 3% inflation). I-Bonds (US government bonds indexed to CPI — rates vary quarterly). Real estate (historically appreciates with or above inflation). TIPS (Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities). Avoid: cash under mattress, savings accounts below inflation rate.
Hyperinflation is typically defined as inflation exceeding 50% per month (Weimar Germany 1923, Zimbabwe 2008, Venezuela 2018). It occurs when governments print excessive money to fund deficits. The US dollar's global reserve status, independent Federal Reserve, and deep bond market make hyperinflation extremely unlikely, though not impossible.