US Inflation Rate by Year
Every year’s inflation rate since 1914, measured two ways from the official Consumer Price Index. Pick a year to see it on the chart.
Or tap a bar on the chart.
US inflation in 1980
+13.5%
Prices averaged 82.4 on the CPI-U in 1980, against 72.6 in 1979.
- December to December
- +12.5%
- The 1980s, a year
- 4.7%
- $100 from 1980 today
- $406.53
Official CPI-U data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, through August 2026. These are averages for urban consumers, not advice. Terms
How this works: Method, 5 sources, Checked against 2 worked examples,
How this works
Method
The annual-average rate compares the average index for the whole year with the year before. It is the one most tables quote, and it smooths out swings within a year. Full method
Sources
How it’s tested
2 worked examples for this page are checked by automated tests before every release: given the inputs, the tool must show the expected answer.
Limits
Official CPI-U data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, through August 2026. These are averages for urban consumers, not advice.
Changes
- First version: what a dollar is worth from 1913 to August 2026, your own inflation rate, whether a raise beat inflation, the current rate, the rate by year and 12 year pages.
One year, worked out: 1980
The CPI-U averaged 82.4 in 1980 and 72.6 in 1979: 82.4 ÷ 72.6 − 1 = 13.5%, the annual-average rate. December to December, 86.3 ÷ 76.7 − 1 = 12.5%. The two differ because prices rose fastest early in 1980.
Two ways to say a year’s inflation
The annual-average rate compares the average index for the whole year with the year before. It is the one most tables quote, and it smooths out swings within a year.
The December-to-December rate compares the last month of the year with the last month of the year before: what happened during that calendar year. When inflation is speeding up or slowing down, the two can differ by several points.
For the current year there is no annual average yet; the table shows the 12-month change to August 2026 instead. The 2025 average is over the 11 months BLS published (no October), the same way BLS averages its second half of 2025.
annual rate = average CPI(year) ÷ average CPI(year before) − 1
- The highest annual-average rate since 1914 was 17.4% in 1917; the lowest, −10.5% in 1932. Source: BLS, CPI-U all items (CUUR0000SA0).
- The CPI-U rose 2.6% in 2025 on the annual average. Source: BLS, CPI-U all items (CUUR0000SA0).
US inflation rate by year
CPI-U annual average for each full year, its change from the year before, and the December-to-December change, newest first. 2026 so far: +3.4% over the 12 months to August 2026.
| Year | CPI-U average | Annual average | Dec to Dec |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 321.943 | +2.6% | +2.7% |
| 2024 | 313.689 | +2.9% | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 304.702 | +4.1% | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 292.655 | +8.0% | +6.5% |
| 2021 | 270.970 | +4.7% | +7.0% |
| 2020 | 258.811 | +1.2% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 255.657 | +1.8% | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 251.107 | +2.4% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 245.120 | +2.1% | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 240.007 | +1.3% | +2.1% |
Show all 112 rowsShow fewer
| 2015 | 237.017 | +0.1% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 236.736 | +1.6% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 232.957 | +1.5% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 229.594 | +2.1% | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 224.939 | +3.2% | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 218.056 | +1.6% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 214.537 | −0.4% | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 215.303 | +3.8% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 207.342 | +2.8% | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 201.6 | +3.2% | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 195.3 | +3.4% | +3.4% |
| 2004 | 188.9 | +2.7% | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 184.0 | +2.3% | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 179.9 | +1.6% | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 177.1 | +2.8% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 172.2 | +3.4% | +3.4% |
| 1999 | 166.6 | +2.2% | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 163.0 | +1.6% | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 160.5 | +2.4% | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 156.8 | +2.9% | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 152.4 | +2.8% | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 148.2 | +2.6% | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 144.5 | +3.0% | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 140.3 | +3.0% | +2.9% |
| 1991 | 136.2 | +4.2% | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 130.7 | +5.4% | +6.1% |
| 1989 | 124.0 | +4.8% | +4.6% |
| 1988 | 118.3 | +4.1% | +4.4% |
| 1987 | 113.6 | +3.6% | +4.4% |
| 1986 | 109.6 | +1.9% | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 107.6 | +3.6% | +3.8% |
| 1984 | 103.9 | +4.3% | +3.9% |
| 1983 | 99.6 | +3.2% | +3.8% |
| 1982 | 96.5 | +6.2% | +3.8% |
| 1981 | 90.9 | +10.3% | +8.9% |
| 1980 | 82.4 | +13.5% | +12.5% |
| 1979 | 72.6 | +11.3% | +13.3% |
| 1978 | 65.2 | +7.6% | +9.0% |
| 1977 | 60.6 | +6.5% | +6.7% |
| 1976 | 56.9 | +5.8% | +4.9% |
| 1975 | 53.8 | +9.1% | +6.9% |
| 1974 | 49.3 | +11.0% | +12.3% |
| 1973 | 44.4 | +6.2% | +8.7% |
| 1972 | 41.8 | +3.2% | +3.4% |
| 1971 | 40.5 | +4.4% | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 38.8 | +5.7% | +5.6% |
| 1969 | 36.7 | +5.5% | +6.2% |
| 1968 | 34.8 | +4.2% | +4.7% |
| 1967 | 33.4 | +2.8% | +3.0% |
| 1966 | 32.5 | +3.2% | +3.5% |
| 1965 | 31.5 | +1.6% | +1.9% |
| 1964 | 31.0 | +1.3% | +1.0% |
| 1963 | 30.6 | +1.3% | +1.6% |
| 1962 | 30.2 | +1.0% | +1.3% |
| 1961 | 29.9 | +1.0% | +0.7% |
| 1960 | 29.6 | +1.7% | +1.4% |
| 1959 | 29.1 | +0.7% | +1.7% |
| 1958 | 28.9 | +2.8% | +1.8% |
| 1957 | 28.1 | +3.3% | +2.9% |
| 1956 | 27.2 | +1.5% | +3.0% |
| 1955 | 26.8 | 0.0% | +0.4% |
| 1954 | 26.8 | 0.0% | −0.7% |
| 1953 | 26.8 | +1.1% | +0.7% |
| 1952 | 26.5 | +1.9% | +0.8% |
| 1951 | 26.0 | +7.9% | +6.0% |
| 1950 | 24.1 | +1.3% | +5.9% |
| 1949 | 23.8 | −0.8% | −2.1% |
| 1948 | 24.0 | +7.6% | +3.0% |
| 1947 | 22.3 | +14.4% | +8.8% |
| 1946 | 19.5 | +8.3% | +18.1% |
| 1945 | 18.0 | +2.3% | +2.2% |
| 1944 | 17.6 | +1.7% | +2.3% |
| 1943 | 17.3 | +6.1% | +3.0% |
| 1942 | 16.3 | +10.9% | +9.0% |
| 1941 | 14.7 | +5.0% | +9.9% |
| 1940 | 14.0 | +0.7% | +0.7% |
| 1939 | 13.9 | −1.4% | 0.0% |
| 1938 | 14.1 | −2.1% | −2.8% |
| 1937 | 14.4 | +3.6% | +2.9% |
| 1936 | 13.9 | +1.5% | +1.4% |
| 1935 | 13.7 | +2.2% | +3.0% |
| 1934 | 13.4 | +3.9% | +1.5% |
| 1933 | 12.9 | −5.1% | +0.8% |
| 1932 | 13.6 | −10.5% | −10.3% |
| 1931 | 15.2 | −9.0% | −9.3% |
| 1930 | 16.7 | −2.9% | −6.4% |
| 1929 | 17.2 | 0.0% | +0.6% |
| 1928 | 17.2 | −1.1% | −1.2% |
| 1927 | 17.4 | −1.7% | −2.3% |
| 1926 | 17.7 | +1.1% | −1.1% |
| 1925 | 17.5 | +2.3% | +3.5% |
| 1924 | 17.1 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1923 | 17.1 | +1.8% | +2.4% |
| 1922 | 16.8 | −6.1% | −2.3% |
| 1921 | 17.9 | −10.5% | −10.8% |
| 1920 | 20.0 | +15.6% | +2.6% |
| 1919 | 17.3 | +15.3% | +14.5% |
| 1918 | 15.0 | +17.2% | +20.4% |
| 1917 | 12.8 | +17.4% | +18.1% |
| 1916 | 10.9 | +7.9% | +12.6% |
| 1915 | 10.1 | +1.0% | +2.0% |
| 1914 | 10.0 | +1.0% | +1.0% |
Average inflation by decade
| Decade | A year | In all |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s (1920–1930) | −1.8% | −17% |
| 1930s (1930–1940) | −1.7% | −16% |
| 1940s (1940–1950) | 5.6% | +72% |
| 1950s (1950–1960) | 2.1% | +23% |
| 1960s (1960–1970) | 2.7% | +31% |
| 1970s (1970–1980) | 7.8% | +112% |
| 1980s (1980–1990) | 4.7% | +59% |
| 1990s (1990–2000) | 2.8% | +32% |
| 2000s (2000–2010) | 2.4% | +27% |
| 2010s (2010–2020) | 1.7% | +19% |
Data: BLS, CPI-U all items (CUUR0000SA0) · BLS, CPI-U all items, seasonally adjusted (CUSR0000SA0) · BLS, Consumer Price Index data · BLS, Relative importance of CPI components, December 2025 · BLS, Average hourly earnings, total private (CES0500000003). Inflation calculator
Frequently Asked Questions
What year had the highest inflation in the US?
On the annual average, 1917 (17.4%) and 1918 (17.2%), during World War I. Since World War II, 1947 (14.4%) and 1980 (13.5%).
Which years had deflation?
Years when the annual average fell: 1921, 1922, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1938, 1939, 1949, 2009. All but two fall between 1921 and 1939.
What was the average inflation rate over the last 10 years?
3.1% a year from 2015 to 2025, compounded, on annual averages.
Which rate should I use, annual average or December to December?
For comparing years, or adjusting a yearly amount such as a salary, the annual average. For what happened during one calendar year, December to December.