Inflation / CPI Calculator
See how inflation has changed the value of money over time using US CPI data.
Calculation
Equivalent Value in 2025
$1,088.35
$100.00 from 1960 is worth $1,088.35 in 2025.
Cumulative Inflation
+988.4%
Based on US CPI-U annual averages (BLS). The 2025 October index was imputed (mean of Sep & Nov) due to the federal shutdown. Figures are approximate and for general guidance.
History of Inflation Measurement
Tracking inflation grew from the need to measure the changing cost of living, producing the Consumer Price Index.
Early Price Indexes
Attempts to measure price changes date to the 18th century; in 1707 Bishop William Fleetwood compiled one of the first price indexes to argue about Oxford college stipends.
Economists like Irving Fisher formalised index-number theory in the early 20th century.
The Consumer Price Index
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing cost-of-living indexes in 1913, evolving into the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), which tracks a basket of goods and services.
The CPI-U annual averages used here stretch back to the mid-20th century and beyond.
Why It Matters
Inflation erodes purchasing power, so comparing amounts across years requires scaling by the CPI ratio.
Central banks now target low inflation, and CPI remains the headline measure watched worldwide.
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