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Inflation calculator + today's inflation rate

Direct answer: Prices were 3.7% higher in September 2026 than a year earlier, by the government's Consumer Price Index (CPI-U, released Oct. 14, 2026). By the same index, $100 in 2000 buys what $195.67 buys now, and $100 in 2020 equals $130.19. Our calculator converts any amount since 1913.

By the numbers: CPI-U 336.940 in September 2026 vs 324.800 a year earlier (+3.7%); core (all items less food and energy) +2.6%, energy +20.4%, gasoline +34.2%, food +2.5%, shelter +3.2%. Source: BLS CPI release USDL-26-1574, Oct. 14, 2026

“Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.7 percent before seasonal adjustment.” — BLS, Consumer Price Index - September 2026

Updated 2026-10-17

Quick Q&A

What is the inflation rate right now?

3.7% for the 12 months ending September 2026, up from 3.4% through August, measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (BLS, Oct. 14, 2026). Core inflation, which leaves out food and energy, was 2.6%. The next CPI report is due Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. ET.

How much is $100 from 1980 worth today?

About $408.91 in September 2026 dollars, using the 1980 annual average CPI-U (82.4) and the September 2026 index (336.940). $100 from 1990 is about $257.80, and $100 from 2000 about $195.67.

How do you calculate the inflation-adjusted value of money?

Multiply the amount by the CPI at the later date divided by the CPI at the earlier date. The BLS calculator uses the CPI-U all items index, not seasonally adjusted: annual averages for past years and the latest month for the current year.

Why is there no inflation number for October 2025?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics couldn't collect October 2025 prices because of the 2025 lapse in appropriations (government shutdown), so that month has no index value and the BLS calculator won't compute with it. The 12-month change for October 2026 will also be missing.

What is core inflation?

Inflation without food and energy prices, which swing more. In the 12 months ending September 2026 it was 2.6%, while energy prices rose 20.4% and gasoline 34.2% (BLS).

Is Social Security's COLA based on this inflation rate?

Not exactly. The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment uses a related index, the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), averaged over July to September. The 2027 COLA is 3.6% (SSA, Oct. 14, 2026).

Is my savings account keeping up with inflation?

Only if its APY is above inflation. With prices up 3.7% over the last year, a 4.00% APY is a real return of about 0.29%, and a 0.40% APY loses about 3.18% of buying power a year, before tax on the interest.

As of Oct. 17, 2026 · CPI through September 2026

Jump to: Calculator · Inflation by month · $100 by year · Every year since 1913 · Savings vs inflation · What CPI measures

Inflation right now, and what your money is worth

Inflation was 3.7% over the 12 months ending September 2026 (Oct. 14, 2026 BLS report), up from 3.4% in August. Energy drove much of it: gasoline was up 34.2% from a year earlier, while core inflation (without food and energy) was 2.6%. To see what an old amount is worth today, the calculator below uses the same official index and rule as the BLS calculator.

The math:

Value today = amount × (CPI-U September 2026 ÷ CPI-U then). Example: $100 × (336.940 ÷ 172.2, the 2000 average) = $195.67.
12-month inflation = CPI-U this month ÷ CPI-U same month last year − 1: 336.940 ÷ 324.800 − 1 = 3.7%.

Sources: BLS CPI release, Oct. 14, 2026 · BLS inflation calculator · BLS CPI-U data

A best fit for the situation described, not financial advice or a buy/sell recommendation. Partner links never change a pick.

Your roadmap

Enter the amount and the year it's from (pick a month if you know it).
Leave “To” on 2026 to get today's dollars (September 2026), or pick any other year to compare two past years.
Check a raise or a price: if your pay rose less than the change shown, your buying power fell.
Check your savings rate against inflation with the second tool; a rate below inflation loses buying power.
Come back after Nov. 10 when BLS publishes October's CPI; this page updates from the BLS data file.

Inflation calculator: what is it worth today?

Uses the official BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) from 1913 through September 2026. Nothing you type leaves your phone.

Amount ($)From yearFrom monthTo yearTo month

Annual average for a past year; for 2026 the latest month (September 2026) is used, the same rule as the BLS calculator.

Inflation rate by month (12-month change)

Month	CPI-U	12-month change
September 2026	336.940	3.7%
August 2026	334.980	3.4%
July 2026	333.918	3.4%
June 2026	333.952	3.5%
May 2026	335.123	4.2%
April 2026	333.020	3.8%
March 2026	330.213	3.3%
February 2026	326.785	2.4%
January 2026	325.252	2.4%
December 2025	324.054	2.7%
November 2025	324.122	2.7%
October 2025	not collected	n/a
September 2025	324.800	3.0%

12-month change = index vs the same month a year earlier, not seasonally adjusted (how BLS reports the headline rate). October 2025 wasn't collected (2025 lapse in appropriations). Next release: Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. ET. BLS CPI release, Oct. 14, 2026 · BLS CPI-U data

What $100 from past years is worth in September 2026

Year	CPI-U (annual avg.)	$100 then = in September 2026	$1 now = in that year
1913	9.9	$3,403.43	$0.03
1920	20	$1,684.70	$0.06
1930	16.7	$2,017.60	$0.05
1940	14	$2,406.71	$0.04
1950	24.1	$1,398.09	$0.07
1960	29.6	$1,138.31	$0.09
1970	38.8	$868.40	$0.12
1980	82.4	$408.91	$0.24
1990	130.7	$257.80	$0.39
2000	172.2	$195.67	$0.51
2010	218.056	$154.52	$0.65
2015	237.017	$142.16	$0.70
2020	258.811	$130.19	$0.77
2021	270.97	$124.35	$0.80
2022	292.655	$115.13	$0.87
2023	304.702	$110.58	$0.90
2024	313.689	$107.41	$0.93
2025	321.943	$104.66	$0.96

CPI-U U.S. city average, all items, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84 = 100). Past years use the annual average; 2026 uses September 2026. BLS CPI-U data · BLS inflation calculator

Every year since 1913: CPI-U, yearly change, $100 in today's dollars

Year	CPI-U	Change vs prior year	$100 then = now
2025	321.943	+2.6%	$104.66
2024	313.689	+2.9%	$107.41
2023	304.702	+4.1%	$110.58
2022	292.655	+8.0%	$115.13
2021	270.97	+4.7%	$124.35
2020	258.811	+1.2%	$130.19
2019	255.657	+1.8%	$131.79
2018	251.107	+2.4%	$134.18
2017	245.12	+2.1%	$137.46
2016	240.007	+1.3%	$140.39
2015	237.017	+0.1%	$142.16
2014	236.736	+1.6%	$142.33
2013	232.957	+1.5%	$144.64
2012	229.594	+2.1%	$146.75
2011	224.939	+3.2%	$149.79
2010	218.056	+1.6%	$154.52
2009	214.537	-0.4%	$157.05
2008	215.303	+3.8%	$156.50
2007	207.342	+2.8%	$162.50
2006	201.6	+3.2%	$167.13
2005	195.3	+3.4%	$172.52
2004	188.9	+2.7%	$178.37
2003	184	+2.3%	$183.12
2002	179.9	+1.6%	$187.29
2001	177.1	+2.8%	$190.25
2000	172.2	+3.4%	$195.67
1999	166.6	+2.2%	$202.24
1998	163	+1.6%	$206.71
1997	160.5	+2.3%	$209.93
1996	156.9	+3.0%	$214.75
1995	152.4	+2.8%	$221.09
1994	148.2	+2.6%	$227.35
1993	144.5	+3.0%	$233.18
1992	140.3	+3.0%	$240.16
1991	136.2	+4.2%	$247.39
1990	130.7	+5.4%	$257.80
1989	124	+4.8%	$271.73
1988	118.3	+4.1%	$284.82
1987	113.6	+3.6%	$296.60
1986	109.6	+1.9%	$307.43
1985	107.6	+3.6%	$313.14
1984	103.9	+4.3%	$324.29
1983	99.6	+3.2%	$338.29
1982	96.5	+6.2%	$349.16
1981	90.9	+10.3%	$370.67
1980	82.4	+13.5%	$408.91
1979	72.6	+11.3%	$464.10
1978	65.2	+7.6%	$516.78
1977	60.6	+6.5%	$556.01
1976	56.9	+5.8%	$592.16
1975	53.8	+9.1%	$626.28
1974	49.3	+11.0%	$683.45
1973	44.4	+6.2%	$758.87
1972	41.8	+3.2%	$806.08
1971	40.5	+4.4%	$831.95
1970	38.8	+5.7%	$868.40
1969	36.7	+5.5%	$918.09
1968	34.8	+4.2%	$968.22
1967	33.4	+3.1%	$1,008.80
1966	32.4	+2.9%	$1,039.94
1965	31.5	+1.6%	$1,069.65
1964	31	+1.3%	$1,086.90
1963	30.6	+1.3%	$1,101.11
1962	30.2	+1.0%	$1,115.70
1961	29.9	+1.0%	$1,126.89
1960	29.6	+1.7%	$1,138.31
1959	29.1	+0.7%	$1,157.87
1958	28.9	+2.8%	$1,165.88
1957	28.1	+3.3%	$1,199.07
1956	27.2	+1.5%	$1,238.75
1955	26.8	-0.4%	$1,257.24
1954	26.9	+0.7%	$1,252.57
1953	26.7	+0.8%	$1,261.95
1952	26.5	+1.9%	$1,271.47
1951	26	+7.9%	$1,295.92
1950	24.1	+1.3%	$1,398.09
1949	23.8	-1.2%	$1,415.71
1948	24.1	+8.1%	$1,398.09
1947	22.3	+14.4%	$1,510.94
1946	19.5	+8.3%	$1,727.90
1945	18	+2.3%	$1,871.89
1944	17.6	+1.7%	$1,914.43
1943	17.3	+6.1%	$1,947.63
1942	16.3	+10.9%	$2,067.12
1941	14.7	+5.0%	$2,292.11
1940	14	+0.7%	$2,406.71
1939	13.9	-1.4%	$2,424.03
1938	14.1	-2.1%	$2,389.65
1937	14.4	+3.6%	$2,339.86
1936	13.9	+1.5%	$2,424.03
1935	13.7	+2.2%	$2,459.42
1934	13.4	+3.1%	$2,514.48
1933	13	-5.1%	$2,591.85
1932	13.7	-9.9%	$2,459.42
1931	15.2	-9.0%	$2,216.71
1930	16.7	-2.3%	$2,017.60
1929	17.1	+0.0%	$1,970.41
1928	17.1	-1.7%	$1,970.41
1927	17.4	-1.7%	$1,936.44
1926	17.7	+1.1%	$1,903.62
1925	17.5	+2.3%	$1,925.37
1924	17.1	+0.0%	$1,970.41
1923	17.1	+1.8%	$1,970.41
1922	16.8	-6.1%	$2,005.60
1921	17.9	-10.5%	$1,882.35
1920	20	+15.6%	$1,684.70
1919	17.3	+14.6%	$1,947.63
1918	15.1	+18.0%	$2,231.39
1917	12.8	+17.4%	$2,632.34
1916	10.9	+7.9%	$3,091.19
1915	10.1	+1.0%	$3,336.04
1914	10	+1.0%	$3,369.40
1913	9.9	—	$3,403.43

Yearly change here compares annual averages (BLS's headline number compares one month with the same month a year earlier, so it can differ). The 2025 annual average (321.943) is from 11 months; BLS has no October 2025 index. BLS CPI-U data

Is my savings beating inflation?

Compares your rate with the last 12 months of inflation (3.7% through September 2026).

Your savings APY (%)Balance ($, optional)

What the CPI measures

The Consumer Price Index measures the average change over time in prices paid by consumers for a representative basket of goods and services (BLS CPI FAQ).
CPI-U (all urban consumers) covers over 90% of the U.S. population; it's the headline inflation rate and what the BLS calculator uses. CPI-W (urban wage earners and clerical workers) is the index behind the Social Security COLA.
The CPI is used to measure the purchasing power of the dollar and to adjust payments such as Social Security and many wage contracts (BLS CPI FAQ).
Your own inflation can differ: if you drive a lot, gasoline (+34.2% over the year) matters more; if you rent, shelter (+3.2%) does. BLS CPI FAQ · BLS CPI release, Oct. 14, 2026

Facts, not advice. Official BLS index numbers with dates and the math shown. Past inflation doesn't predict future inflation, and we don't tell you what to buy or invest in.

Sources & as-of dates

BLS CPI-U index data, series CUUR0000SA0 (all items, U.S. city average, not seasonally adjusted) (through September 2026; checked 2026-10-17)
BLS: CPI Inflation Calculator (method) (read Oct. 17, 2026; checked 2026-10-17)
BLS news release: Consumer Price Index - September 2026 (USDL-26-1574) (released Oct. 14, 2026; checked 2026-10-17)
BLS: CPI Frequently Asked Questions (last modified Sept. 25, 2025; checked 2026-10-17)

Next step: Best savings rates by state · T-bills vs high-yield savings · Social Security 2027 COLA (3.6%) · Paycheck calculator · Mortgage rates · All tools

FAQ

What is the inflation rate right now?

How much is $100 from 1980 worth today?

About $408.91 in September 2026 dollars, using the 1980 annual average CPI-U (82.4) and the September 2026 index (336.940). $100 from 1990 is about $257.80, and $100 from 2000 about $195.67.

How do you calculate the inflation-adjusted value of money?

Why is there no inflation number for October 2025?

What is core inflation?

Inflation without food and energy prices, which swing more. In the 12 months ending September 2026 it was 2.6%, while energy prices rose 20.4% and gasoline 34.2% (BLS).

Is Social Security's COLA based on this inflation rate?

Is my savings account keeping up with inflation?

Estimates, not financial advice. Taxes, insurance, PMI and fees vary by lender, county and city; confirm with your lender, dealer and state agency before acting.