Estimate Consumer Price Inflation With Our Cost of Living Calculator

This calculator will show you how inflation has affected consumer buying power from a given base year to a given result year. Results are based on the annual average CPI (Consumer Price Index), as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for the years 1913 to 2022. Data back to 1774 is also provided using inflation estimates data sourced from Oregon State University. Before the Federal Reserve was created boom bust cycles were stronger with extreme deflation followed by extreme inflation. Since the Federal Reserve has existed year to year inflation volatility has generally trended downward, though they have implemented a pro-inflationary Keynesian monetary policy.

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Your Shrinking Dollar

To the average person inflation is simply the rise in prices for goods and services. Your dollar just doesn’t stretch as far. But what causes inflation? Inflation is relative to the amount of money in the system compared to available goods. It’s the relationship between money and goods – supply and demand. For instance, if apples are plentiful and growers need to move them fast, the prices will fall. But if there is an insect infestation or a late frost, the supply related to demand will be reduced, so the prices will increase.

The Link between the Gold Standard and Printing Money

Supply and demand of money is a little more complicated and inflation is linked to how much money is printed or created. Before 1933 our currency was based on the gold standard, meaning that the value of your money was backed by gold and this value was set by the government. You could actually exchange your money for gold. Your paper money had a value guarantee. The government was limited on how much money it could print.

Before WWI the dollar was worth a little less than 1/20 of an ounce of gold, so you could exchange $20.67 for one ounce. Being on the gold standard regulates the government on how much money it can print. It must have enough gold to back it up. During the Great Depression there were runs on the banks and people hoarded gold. President FDR took the first step in removing the United States from the gold standard when, by Executive Order 6102, he required all gold bullion, coins and bank notes greater than $100 to be sold back to the government. Ordinary citizens were not allowed to own gold. He was advised to inflate the system with money to encourage an economic turnaround.

In 1934 the gold price was increased to $35 an ounce, where it remained until 1971. It was in this year that President Richard Nixon officially ended the gold standard by proclaiming that we would no longer convert dollars to gold at a fixed rate. This ended the Bretton Woods system that from 1946 set fixed prices for gold to be sold to the United States. The hands of the federal government were now untied to print as much money as it saw fit. It didn’t need to have gold to back it up. It is now free to use as much currency as it feels necessary to manipulate the economy. Once off the gold standard, our currency is now considered fiat money which in Latin means “it shall be.” What makes the system work is our faith in the system and its money managers. Per Milton Friedman, the Nobel Prize winning economist, “the pieces of green paper have value because everybody thinks they have value.”

How Printing Money Affects Inflation

Printing and flooding the system with more money causes inflation. Here’s how. When the Federal Reserve reduces interest rates, this allows banks to loan money at low rates which encourages people to buy more. Again it goes back to supply and demand. More money in circulation will allow people to buy more, but goods can’t keep up with the demand. When stores see that demand is greater than supply and know people are willing to pay more, prices increase. It takes more dollars to buy the same things. The dollar becomes devalued.

The Federal Reserve is in charge of managing the inflation rate. They try to keep it at 2%. If inflation rates go too high, they will increase interest rates to discourage borrowing and encourage saving. Demand for goods decreases which causes prices to fall. This chart shows you Consumer Price Index and the annual inflation rate from 1913 to 2014 .

Sources of Inflation Data

• BLS CPI - official data from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics
• Oregon State University - publishes data back to 1774
• Premise - based on collecting thousands of local offline datapoints from around the world
• BPP / PriceStats - based on tracking online prices
• ShadowStats - calculates inflation using alternate previous measurement systems from the BLS

Annual Inflation Estimates

The following table estimates historical inflation conversion factors shared by Oregon State University.

Year	CPI [1982-84] CF [McCluskey]	CPI [1982-84] CF [BLS]	1995$ CF	2017$ CF	est 2018$ CF	CPI-U-X1 CF 2017$ [starts 1950]	CPI-U-RS CF 2017$ [starts 1947]	C-CPI-U  (Chained CPI; 2016  = 1.00)	CPI-U Inflation Rate (%)
1774	0.084	0.081	0.053	0.033	0.032
1774	0.084	0.081	0.053	0.033	0.032
1775	0.080	0.077	0.051	0.031	0.031				-4.9
1776	0.091	0.087	0.057	0.035	0.035				13.0
1777	0.111	0.106	0.070	0.043	0.042				21.8
1778	0.144	0.138	0.091	0.056	0.055				30.2
1779	0.127	0.122	0.080	0.050	0.049				-11.6
1780	0.143	0.137	0.090	0.056	0.055				12.3
1781	0.115	0.111	0.073	0.045	0.044				-19.0
1782	0.127	0.121	0.079	0.049	0.048				9.0
1783	0.111	0.106	0.070	0.043	0.042				-12.4
1784	0.107	0.102	0.067	0.042	0.041				-3.8
1785	0.101	0.097	0.064	0.040	0.039				-4.9
1786	0.099	0.095	0.062	0.039	0.038				-2.1
1787	0.097	0.093	0.061	0.038	0.037				-2.1
1788	0.093	0.089	0.058	0.036	0.036				-4.3
1789	0.092	0.088	0.058	0.036	0.035				-1.1
1790	0.095	0.092	0.060	0.038	0.037				4.5
1791	0.098	0.094	0.062	0.038	0.038				2.2
1792	0.100	0.096	0.063	0.039	0.038				2.1
1793	0.103	0.099	0.065	0.040	0.040				3.1
1794	0.114	0.110	0.072	0.045	0.044				11.1
1795	0.131	0.126	0.083	0.051	0.050				14.5
1796	0.138	0.132	0.087	0.054	0.053				4.8
1797	0.133	0.127	0.083	0.052	0.051				-3.8
1798	0.128	0.123	0.081	0.050	0.049				-3.1
1799	0.128	0.123	0.081	0.050	0.049				0.0
1800	0.131	0.126	0.083	0.051	0.050				2.4
1801	0.133	0.127	0.083	0.052	0.051				0.8
1802	0.112	0.107	0.070	0.044	0.043				-15.7
1803	0.118	0.113	0.074	0.046	0.045				5.6
1804	0.123	0.118	0.077	0.048	0.047				4.4
1805	0.122	0.117	0.077	0.048	0.047				-0.8
1806	0.127	0.122	0.080	0.050	0.049				4.3
1807	0.120	0.116	0.076	0.047	0.046				-4.9
1808	0.131	0.126	0.083	0.051	0.050				8.6
1809	0.128	0.123	0.081	0.050	0.049				-2.4
1810	0.128	0.123	0.081	0.050	0.049				0.0
1811	0.137	0.131	0.086	0.053	0.052				6.5
1812	0.139	0.133	0.087	0.054	0.053				1.5
1813	0.166	0.160	0.105	0.065	0.064				20.3
1814	0.183	0.176	0.115	0.072	0.070				10.0
1815	0.160	0.154	0.101	0.063	0.062				-12.5
1816	0.146	0.141	0.093	0.058	0.056				-8.4
1817	0.139	0.133	0.087	0.054	0.053				-5.7
1818	0.133	0.127	0.083	0.052	0.051				-4.5
1819	0.133	0.127	0.083	0.052	0.051				0.0
1820	0.122	0.117	0.077	0.048	0.047				-7.9
1821	0.118	0.113	0.074	0.046	0.045				-3.4
1822	0.122	0.117	0.077	0.048	0.047				3.5
1823	0.109	0.105	0.069	0.043	0.042				-10.3
1824	0.101	0.097	0.064	0.040	0.039				-7.6
1825	0.103	0.099	0.065	0.040	0.040				2.1
1826	0.103	0.099	0.065	0.040	0.040				0.0
1827	0.104	0.100	0.066	0.041	0.040				1.0
1828	0.099	0.095	0.062	0.039	0.038				-5.0
1829	0.097	0.093	0.061	0.038	0.037				-2.1
1830	0.096	0.092	0.060	0.038	0.037				-1.1
1831	0.090	0.087	0.057	0.035	0.035				-5.4
1832	0.089	0.086	0.056	0.035	0.034				-1.1
1833	0.088	0.084	0.055	0.034	0.034				-2.3
1834	0.089	0.086	0.056	0.035	0.034				2.4
1835	0.092	0.088	0.058	0.036	0.035				2.3
1836	0.097	0.093	0.061	0.038	0.037				5.7
1837	0.100	0.096	0.063	0.039	0.038				3.2
1838	0.097	0.093	0.061	0.038	0.037				-3.1
1839	0.097	0.093	0.061	0.038	0.037				0.0
1840	0.090	0.087	0.057	0.035	0.035				-6.5
1841	0.091	0.087	0.057	0.035	0.035				0.0
1842	0.085	0.082	0.054	0.033	0.033				-5.7
1843	0.077	0.074	0.049	0.030	0.030				-9.8
1844	0.078	0.075	0.049	0.031	0.030				1.4
1845	0.079	0.076	0.050	0.031	0.030				1.3
1846	0.080	0.077	0.051	0.031	0.031				1.3
1847	0.086	0.082	0.054	0.033	0.033				6.5
1848	0.082	0.079	0.052	0.032	0.032				-3.7
1849	0.080	0.077	0.051	0.031	0.031				-2.5
1850	0.081	0.078	0.051	0.032	0.031				1.3
1851	0.080	0.077	0.051	0.031	0.031				-1.3
1852	0.081	0.077	0.051	0.031	0.031				0.0
1853	0.081	0.077	0.051	0.031	0.031				0.0
1854	0.088	0.084	0.055	0.034	0.034				9.1
1855	0.090	0.087	0.057	0.035	0.035				3.6
1856	0.088	0.085	0.056	0.035	0.034				-2.3
1857	0.091	0.087	0.057	0.035	0.035				2.4
1858	0.086	0.082	0.054	0.033	0.033				-5.7
1859	0.087	0.083	0.054	0.034	0.033				1.2
1860	0.087	0.083	0.054	0.034	0.033				0.0
1861	0.092	0.088	0.058	0.036	0.035				6.0
1862	0.105	0.101	0.066	0.041	0.040				14.8
1863	0.131	0.126	0.083	0.051	0.050				24.8
1864	0.164	0.157	0.103	0.064	0.063				24.6
1865	0.170	0.163	0.107	0.066	0.065				3.8
1866	0.166	0.159	0.104	0.065	0.064				-2.5
1867	0.154	0.148	0.097	0.060	0.059				-6.9
1868	0.148	0.142	0.093	0.058	0.057				-4.1
1869	0.142	0.136	0.089	0.055	0.054				-4.2
1870	0.136	0.131	0.086	0.053	0.052				-3.7
1871	0.127	0.122	0.080	0.050	0.049				-6.9
1872	0.127	0.122	0.080	0.050	0.049				0.0
1873	0.125	0.120	0.079	0.049	0.048				-1.6
1874	0.119	0.114	0.075	0.047	0.046				-5.0
1875	0.114	0.110	0.072	0.045	0.044				-3.5
1876	0.112	0.107	0.070	0.044	0.043				-2.7
1877	0.109	0.105	0.069	0.043	0.042				-1.9
1878	0.104	0.100	0.066	0.041	0.040				-4.8
1879	0.104	0.100	0.066	0.041	0.040				0.0
1880	0.107	0.102	0.067	0.042	0.041				2.0
1881	0.107	0.102	0.067	0.042	0.041				0.0
1882	0.107	0.102	0.067	0.042	0.041				0.0
1883	0.105	0.101	0.066	0.041	0.040				-1.0
1884	0.102	0.098	0.064	0.040	0.039				-3.0
1885	0.101	0.097	0.064	0.040	0.039				-1.0
1886	0.098	0.094	0.062	0.038	0.038				-3.1
1887	0.099	0.095	0.062	0.039	0.038				1.1
1888	0.099	0.095	0.062	0.039	0.038				0.0
1889	0.096	0.092	0.060	0.038	0.037				-3.2
1890	0.094	0.091	0.060	0.037	0.036				-1.1
1891	0.094	0.091	0.060	0.037	0.036				0.0
1892	0.094	0.091	0.060	0.037	0.036				0.0
1893	0.094	0.090	0.059	0.037	0.036				-1.1
1894	0.089	0.086	0.056	0.035	0.034				-4.4
1895	0.088	0.084	0.055	0.034	0.034				-2.3
1896	0.088	0.084	0.055	0.034	0.034				0.0
1897	0.087	0.083	0.054	0.034	0.033				-1.2
1898	0.087	0.083	0.054	0.034	0.033				0.0
1899	0.087	0.083	0.054	0.034	0.033				0.0
1900	0.088	0.084	0.055	0.034	0.034				1.2
1901	0.088	0.085	0.056	0.035	0.034				1.2
1902	0.089	0.086	0.056	0.035	0.034				1.2
1903	0.092	0.088	0.058	0.036	0.035				2.3
1904	0.093	0.089	0.058	0.036	0.036				1.1
1905	0.092	0.088	0.058	0.036	0.035				-1.1
1906	0.094	0.090	0.059	0.037	0.036				2.3
1907	0.098	0.094	0.062	0.038	0.038				4.4
1908	0.096	0.092	0.060	0.038	0.037				-2.1
1909	0.094	0.091	0.060	0.037	0.036				-1.1
1910	0.099	0.095	0.062	0.039	0.038				4.4
1911	0.099	0.095	0.062	0.039	0.038				0.0
1912	0.101	0.097	0.064	0.040	0.039				2.1
1913	0.099	0.099	0.065	0.040	0.040				2.1
1914	0.100	0.100	0.066	0.041	0.040				1.0
1915	0.101	0.101	0.066	0.041	0.040				1.0
1916	0.109	0.109	0.072	0.044	0.044				7.9
1917	0.128	0.128	0.084	0.052	0.051				17.4
1918	0.151	0.151	0.099	0.062	0.060				18.0
1919	0.173	0.173	0.114	0.071	0.069				14.6
1920	0.200	0.200	0.131	0.082	0.080				15.6
1921	0.179	0.179	0.117	0.073	0.072				-10.5
1922	0.168	0.168	0.110	0.069	0.067				-6.1
1923	0.171	0.171	0.112	0.070	0.068				1.8
1924	0.171	0.171	0.112	0.070	0.068				0.0
1925	0.175	0.175	0.115	0.071	0.070				2.3
1926	0.177	0.177	0.116	0.072	0.071				1.1
1927	0.174	0.174	0.114	0.071	0.070				-1.7
1928	0.171	0.171	0.112	0.070	0.068				-1.7
1929	0.171	0.171	0.112	0.070	0.068				0.0
1930	0.167	0.167	0.110	0.068	0.067				-2.3
1931	0.152	0.152	0.100	0.062	0.061				-9.0
1932	0.137	0.137	0.090	0.056	0.055				-9.9
1933	0.130	0.130	0.085	0.053	0.052				-5.1
1934	0.134	0.134	0.088	0.055	0.054				3.1
1935	0.137	0.137	0.090	0.056	0.055				2.2
1936	0.139	0.139	0.091	0.057	0.056				1.5
1937	0.144	0.144	0.094	0.059	0.058				3.6
1938	0.141	0.141	0.093	0.058	0.056				-2.1
1939	0.139	0.139	0.091	0.057	0.056				-1.4
1940	0.140	0.140	0.092	0.057	0.056				0.7
1941	0.147	0.147	0.096	0.060	0.059				5.0
1942	0.163	0.163	0.107	0.066	0.065				10.9
1943	0.173	0.173	0.114	0.071	0.069				6.1
1944	0.176	0.176	0.115	0.072	0.070				1.7
1945	0.180	0.180	0.118	0.073	0.072				2.3
1946	0.195	0.195	0.128	0.080	0.078				8.3
1947	0.223	0.223	0.146	0.091	0.089		0.106		14.4
1948	0.241	0.241	0.158	0.098	0.096		0.115		8.1
1949	0.238	0.238	0.156	0.097	0.095		0.113		-1.2
1950	0.241	0.241	0.158	0.098	0.096	0.107	0.115		1.3
1951	0.260	0.260	0.171	0.106	0.104	0.115	0.124		7.9
1952	0.265	0.265	0.174	0.108	0.106	0.117	0.126		1.9
1953	0.267	0.267	0.175	0.109	0.107	0.118	0.127		0.8
1954	0.269	0.269	0.177	0.110	0.108	0.119	0.128		0.7
1955	0.268	0.268	0.176	0.109	0.107	0.119	0.128		-0.4
1956	0.272	0.272	0.178	0.111	0.109	0.121	0.129		1.5
1957	0.281	0.281	0.184	0.115	0.112	0.124	0.134		3.3
1958	0.289	0.289	0.190	0.118	0.116	0.128	0.138		2.8
1959	0.291	0.291	0.191	0.119	0.116	0.129	0.139		0.7
1960	0.296	0.296	0.194	0.121	0.118	0.131	0.141		1.7
1961	0.299	0.299	0.196	0.122	0.120	0.133	0.142		1.0
1962	0.302	0.302	0.198	0.123	0.121	0.134	0.144		1.0
1963	0.306	0.306	0.201	0.125	0.122	0.136	0.146		1.3
1964	0.310	0.310	0.203	0.126	0.124	0.137	0.148		1.3
1965	0.315	0.315	0.207	0.129	0.126	0.140	0.150		1.6
1966	0.324	0.324	0.213	0.132	0.130	0.144	0.154		2.9
1967	0.334	0.334	0.219	0.136	0.134	0.148	0.159		3.1
1968	0.348	0.348	0.228	0.142	0.139	0.154	0.165		4.2
1969	0.367	0.367	0.241	0.150	0.147	0.161	0.173		5.5
1970	0.388	0.388	0.255	0.158	0.155	0.168	0.181		5.7
1971	0.405	0.405	0.266	0.165	0.162	0.176	0.189		4.4
1972	0.418	0.418	0.274	0.171	0.167	0.181	0.195		3.2
1973	0.444	0.444	0.291	0.181	0.178	0.193	0.207		6.2
1974	0.493	0.493	0.323	0.201	0.197	0.212	0.227		11.0
1975	0.538	0.538	0.353	0.219	0.215	0.229	0.246		9.1
1976	0.569	0.569	0.373	0.232	0.228	0.242	0.260		5.8
1977	0.606	0.606	0.398	0.247	0.242	0.258	0.277		6.5
1978	0.652	0.652	0.428	0.266	0.261	0.275	0.289		7.6
1979	0.726	0.726	0.476	0.296	0.290	0.302	0.317		11.3
1980	0.824	0.824	0.541	0.336	0.329	0.336	0.352		13.5
1981	0.909	0.909	0.596	0.371	0.363	0.368	0.386		10.3
1982	0.965	0.965	0.633	0.394	0.386	0.390	0.409		6.2
1983	0.996	0.996	0.654	0.406	0.398	0.406	0.426		3.2
1984	1.039	1.039	0.682	0.424	0.415	0.424	0.444		4.3
1985	1.076	1.076	0.706	0.439	0.430	0.439	0.459		3.6
1986	1.096	1.096	0.719	0.447	0.438	0.447	0.468		1.9
1987	1.136	1.136	0.745	0.463	0.454	0.463	0.483		3.6
1988	1.183	1.183	0.776	0.483	0.473	0.483	0.501		4.1
1989	1.240	1.240	0.814	0.506	0.496	0.506	0.522		4.8
1990	1.307	1.307	0.858	0.533	0.523	0.533	0.548		5.4
1991	1.362	1.362	0.894	0.556	0.545	0.556	0.568		4.2
1992	1.403	1.403	0.921	0.572	0.561	0.572	0.582		3.0
1993	1.445	1.445	0.948	0.590	0.578	0.590	0.597		3.0
1994	1.482	1.482	0.972	0.605	0.593	0.605	0.609		2.6
1995	1.524	1.524	1.000	0.622	0.609	0.622	0.624		2.8
1996	1.569	1.569	1.030	0.640	0.627	0.640	0.641		3.0
1997	1.605	1.605	1.053	0.655	0.642	0.655	0.655		2.3
1998	1.630	1.630	1.070	0.665	0.652	0.665	0.664		1.6
1999	1.666	1.666	1.093	0.680	0.666	0.680	0.678	0.719	2.2
2000	1.722	1.722	1.130	0.703	0.689	0.703	0.701	0.733	3.4
2001	1.771	1.771	1.162	0.723	0.708	0.723	0.720	0.750	2.8
2002	1.799	1.799	1.180	0.734	0.719	0.734	0.732	0.759	1.6
2003	1.840	1.840	1.207	0.751	0.736	0.751	0.749	0.775	2.3
2004	1.889	1.889	1.240	0.771	0.755	0.771	0.769	0.794	2.7
2005	1.953	1.953	1.281	0.797	0.781	0.797	0.795	0.817	3.4
2006	2.016	2.016	1.323	0.822	0.806	0.822	0.820	0.841	3.2
2007		2.07342	1.361	0.846	0.829	0.846	0.844	0.862	2.8
2008		2.15303	1.413	0.878	0.861	0.878	0.876	0.894	3.8
2009		2.14537	1.408	0.875	0.858	0.875	0.873	0.890	-0.4
2010		2.18056	1.431	0.890	0.872	0.890	0.888	0.903	1.6
2011		2.24939	1.476	0.918	0.899	0.918	0.916	0.930	3.2
2012		2.29594	1.507	0.937	0.918	0.937	0.935	0.949	2.1
2013		2.32957	1.529	0.950	0.931	0.950	0.949	0.960	1.5
2014		2.36736	1.553	0.966	0.947	0.966	0.965	0.974	1.6
2015		2.37017	1.555	0.967	0.948	0.967	0.966	0.973	0.1
2016		2.40007	1.575	0.979	0.960	0.979	0.979	0.982	1.3
2017		2.45120	1.608	1.000	0.980	1.000	1.000	1.000	2.1
2018		2.501	1.641	1.020	1.000	1.020			2.0
2019		2.555	1.677	1.042	1.022	1.042			2.2
2020		2.614	1.715	1.066	1.045	1.066			2.3
2021		2.677	1.757	1.092	1.070	1.092			2.4
2022		2.741	1.799	1.118	1.096	1.118			2.4
2023		2.805	1.841	1.144	1.122	1.144			2.3
2024		2.871	1.884	1.171	1.148	1.171			2.4
2025		2.938	1.928	1.199	1.175	1.199			2.3
2026		3.007	1.973	1.227	1.202	1.227			2.3
2027		3.078	2.020	1.256	1.231	1.256			2.4
2028		3.150	2.067	1.285	1.259	1.285

The above table generated estimates for 2018 through 2028. You can see actual data for the years 2018 tou 2022 in the table below.

BLS CPI-U Inflation Statistics

Every month the BLS updates the CPI-U statistics for the United States. Their data is not seasonally adjusted and uses a base period of 1982-84, which years average to 100 in the data series.

Year	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Annual	First Half	Second Half
1913	9.8	9.8	9.8	9.8	9.7	9.8	9.9	9.9	10.0	10.0	10.1	10.0	9.9
1914	10.0	9.9	9.9	9.8	9.9	9.9	10.0	10.2	10.2	10.1	10.2	10.1	10.0
1915	10.1	10.0	9.9	10.0	10.1	10.1	10.1	10.1	10.1	10.2	10.3	10.3	10.1
1916	10.4	10.4	10.5	10.6	10.7	10.8	10.8	10.9	11.1	11.3	11.5	11.6	10.9
1917	11.7	12.0	12.0	12.6	12.8	13.0	12.8	13.0	13.3	13.5	13.5	13.7	12.8
1918	14.0	14.1	14.0	14.2	14.5	14.7	15.1	15.4	15.7	16.0	16.3	16.5	15.1
1919	16.5	16.2	16.4	16.7	16.9	16.9	17.4	17.7	17.8	18.1	18.5	18.9	17.3
1920	19.3	19.5	19.7	20.3	20.6	20.9	20.8	20.3	20.0	19.9	19.8	19.4	20.0
1921	19.0	18.4	18.3	18.1	17.7	17.6	17.7	17.7	17.5	17.5	17.4	17.3	17.9
1922	16.9	16.9	16.7	16.7	16.7	16.7	16.8	16.6	16.6	16.7	16.8	16.9	16.8
1923	16.8	16.8	16.8	16.9	16.9	17.0	17.2	17.1	17.2	17.3	17.3	17.3	17.1
1924	17.3	17.2	17.1	17.0	17.0	17.0	17.1	17.0	17.1	17.2	17.2	17.3	17.1
1925	17.3	17.2	17.3	17.2	17.3	17.5	17.7	17.7	17.7	17.7	18.0	17.9	17.5
1926	17.9	17.9	17.8	17.9	17.8	17.7	17.5	17.4	17.5	17.6	17.7	17.7	17.7
1927	17.5	17.4	17.3	17.3	17.4	17.6	17.3	17.2	17.3	17.4	17.3	17.3	17.4
1928	17.3	17.1	17.1	17.1	17.2	17.1	17.1	17.1	17.3	17.2	17.2	17.1	17.1
1929	17.1	17.1	17.0	16.9	17.0	17.1	17.3	17.3	17.3	17.3	17.3	17.2	17.1
1930	17.1	17.0	16.9	17.0	16.9	16.8	16.6	16.5	16.6	16.5	16.4	16.1	16.7
1931	15.9	15.7	15.6	15.5	15.3	15.1	15.1	15.1	15.0	14.9	14.7	14.6	15.2
1932	14.3	14.1	14.0	13.9	13.7	13.6	13.6	13.5	13.4	13.3	13.2	13.1	13.7
1933	12.9	12.7	12.6	12.6	12.6	12.7	13.1	13.2	13.2	13.2	13.2	13.2	13.0
1934	13.2	13.3	13.3	13.3	13.3	13.4	13.4	13.4	13.6	13.5	13.5	13.4	13.4
1935	13.6	13.7	13.7	13.8	13.8	13.7	13.7	13.7	13.7	13.7	13.8	13.8	13.7
1936	13.8	13.8	13.7	13.7	13.7	13.8	13.9	14.0	14.0	14.0	14.0	14.0	13.9
1937	14.1	14.1	14.2	14.3	14.4	14.4	14.5	14.5	14.6	14.6	14.5	14.4	14.4
1938	14.2	14.1	14.1	14.2	14.1	14.1	14.1	14.1	14.1	14.0	14.0	14.0	14.1
1939	14.0	13.9	13.9	13.8	13.8	13.8	13.8	13.8	14.1	14.0	14.0	14.0	13.9
1940	13.9	14.0	14.0	14.0	14.0	14.1	14.0	14.0	14.0	14.0	14.0	14.1	14.0
1941	14.1	14.1	14.2	14.3	14.4	14.7	14.7	14.9	15.1	15.3	15.4	15.5	14.7
1942	15.7	15.8	16.0	16.1	16.3	16.3	16.4	16.5	16.5	16.7	16.8	16.9	16.3
1943	16.9	16.9	17.2	17.4	17.5	17.5	17.4	17.3	17.4	17.4	17.4	17.4	17.3
1944	17.4	17.4	17.4	17.5	17.5	17.6	17.7	17.7	17.7	17.7	17.7	17.8	17.6
1945	17.8	17.8	17.8	17.8	17.9	18.1	18.1	18.1	18.1	18.1	18.1	18.2	18.0
1946	18.2	18.1	18.3	18.4	18.5	18.7	19.8	20.2	20.4	20.8	21.3	21.5	19.5
1947	21.5	21.5	21.9	21.9	21.9	22.0	22.2	22.5	23.0	23.0	23.1	23.4	22.3
1948	23.7	23.5	23.4	23.8	23.9	24.1	24.4	24.5	24.5	24.4	24.2	24.1	24.1
1949	24.0	23.8	23.8	23.9	23.8	23.9	23.7	23.8	23.9	23.7	23.8	23.6	23.8
1950	23.5	23.5	23.6	23.6	23.7	23.8	24.1	24.3	24.4	24.6	24.7	25.0	24.1
1951	25.4	25.7	25.8	25.8	25.9	25.9	25.9	25.9	26.1	26.2	26.4	26.5	26.0
1952	26.5	26.3	26.3	26.4	26.4	26.5	26.7	26.7	26.7	26.7	26.7	26.7	26.5
1953	26.6	26.5	26.6	26.6	26.7	26.8	26.8	26.9	26.9	27.0	26.9	26.9	26.7
1954	26.9	26.9	26.9	26.8	26.9	26.9	26.9	26.9	26.8	26.8	26.8	26.7	26.9
1955	26.7	26.7	26.7	26.7	26.7	26.7	26.8	26.8	26.9	26.9	26.9	26.8	26.8
1956	26.8	26.8	26.8	26.9	27.0	27.2	27.4	27.3	27.4	27.5	27.5	27.6	27.2
1957	27.6	27.7	27.8	27.9	28.0	28.1	28.3	28.3	28.3	28.3	28.4	28.4	28.1
1958	28.6	28.6	28.8	28.9	28.9	28.9	29.0	28.9	28.9	28.9	29.0	28.9	28.9
1959	29.0	28.9	28.9	29.0	29.0	29.1	29.2	29.2	29.3	29.4	29.4	29.4	29.1
1960	29.3	29.4	29.4	29.5	29.5	29.6	29.6	29.6	29.6	29.8	29.8	29.8	29.6
1961	29.8	29.8	29.8	29.8	29.8	29.8	30.0	29.9	30.0	30.0	30.0	30.0	29.9
1962	30.0	30.1	30.1	30.2	30.2	30.2	30.3	30.3	30.4	30.4	30.4	30.4	30.2
1963	30.4	30.4	30.5	30.5	30.5	30.6	30.7	30.7	30.7	30.8	30.8	30.9	30.6
1964	30.9	30.9	30.9	30.9	30.9	31.0	31.1	31.0	31.1	31.1	31.2	31.2	31.0
1965	31.2	31.2	31.3	31.4	31.4	31.6	31.6	31.6	31.6	31.7	31.7	31.8	31.5
1966	31.8	32.0	32.1	32.3	32.3	32.4	32.5	32.7	32.7	32.9	32.9	32.9	32.4
1967	32.9	32.9	33.0	33.1	33.2	33.3	33.4	33.5	33.6	33.7	33.8	33.9	33.4
1968	34.1	34.2	34.3	34.4	34.5	34.7	34.9	35.0	35.1	35.3	35.4	35.5	34.8
1969	35.6	35.8	36.1	36.3	36.4	36.6	36.8	37.0	37.1	37.3	37.5	37.7	36.7
1970	37.8	38.0	38.2	38.5	38.6	38.8	39.0	39.0	39.2	39.4	39.6	39.8	38.8
1971	39.8	39.9	40.0	40.1	40.3	40.6	40.7	40.8	40.8	40.9	40.9	41.1	40.5
1972	41.1	41.3	41.4	41.5	41.6	41.7	41.9	42.0	42.1	42.3	42.4	42.5	41.8
1973	42.6	42.9	43.3	43.6	43.9	44.2	44.3	45.1	45.2	45.6	45.9	46.2	44.4
1974	46.6	47.2	47.8	48.0	48.6	49.0	49.4	50.0	50.6	51.1	51.5	51.9	49.3
1975	52.1	52.5	52.7	52.9	53.2	53.6	54.2	54.3	54.6	54.9	55.3	55.5	53.8
1976	55.6	55.8	55.9	56.1	56.5	56.8	57.1	57.4	57.6	57.9	58.0	58.2	56.9
1977	58.5	59.1	59.5	60.0	60.3	60.7	61.0	61.2	61.4	61.6	61.9	62.1	60.6
1978	62.5	62.9	63.4	63.9	64.5	65.2	65.7	66.0	66.5	67.1	67.4	67.7	65.2
1979	68.3	69.1	69.8	70.6	71.5	72.3	73.1	73.8	74.6	75.2	75.9	76.7	72.6
1980	77.8	78.9	80.1	81.0	81.8	82.7	82.7	83.3	84.0	84.8	85.5	86.3	82.4
1981	87.0	87.9	88.5	89.1	89.8	90.6	91.6	92.3	93.2	93.4	93.7	94.0	90.9
1982	94.3	94.6	94.5	94.9	95.8	97.0	97.5	97.7	97.9	98.2	98.0	97.6	96.5
1983	97.8	97.9	97.9	98.6	99.2	99.5	99.9	100.2	100.7	101.0	101.2	101.3	99.6
1984	101.9	102.4	102.6	103.1	103.4	103.7	104.1	104.5	105.0	105.3	105.3	105.3	103.9	102.9	104.9
1985	105.5	106.0	106.4	106.9	107.3	107.6	107.8	108.0	108.3	108.7	109.0	109.3	107.6	106.6	108.5
1986	109.6	109.3	108.8	108.6	108.9	109.5	109.5	109.7	110.2	110.3	110.4	110.5	109.6	109.1	110.1
1987	111.2	111.6	112.1	112.7	113.1	113.5	113.8	114.4	115.0	115.3	115.4	115.4	113.6	112.4	114.9
1988	115.7	116.0	116.5	117.1	117.5	118.0	118.5	119.0	119.8	120.2	120.3	120.5	118.3	116.8	119.7
1989	121.1	121.6	122.3	123.1	123.8	124.1	124.4	124.6	125.0	125.6	125.9	126.1	124.0	122.7	125.3
1990	127.4	128.0	128.7	128.9	129.2	129.9	130.4	131.6	132.7	133.5	133.8	133.8	130.7	128.7	132.6
1991	134.6	134.8	135.0	135.2	135.6	136.0	136.2	136.6	137.2	137.4	137.8	137.9	136.2	135.2	137.2
1992	138.1	138.6	139.3	139.5	139.7	140.2	140.5	140.9	141.3	141.8	142.0	141.9	140.3	139.2	141.4
1993	142.6	143.1	143.6	144.0	144.2	144.4	144.4	144.8	145.1	145.7	145.8	145.8	144.5	143.7	145.3
1994	146.2	146.7	147.2	147.4	147.5	148.0	148.4	149.0	149.4	149.5	149.7	149.7	148.2	147.2	149.3
1995	150.3	150.9	151.4	151.9	152.2	152.5	152.5	152.9	153.2	153.7	153.6	153.5	152.4	151.5	153.2
1996	154.4	154.9	155.7	156.3	156.6	156.7	157.0	157.3	157.8	158.3	158.6	158.6	156.9	155.8	157.9
1997	159.1	159.6	160.0	160.2	160.1	160.3	160.5	160.8	161.2	161.6	161.5	161.3	160.5	159.9	161.2
1998	161.6	161.9	162.2	162.5	162.8	163.0	163.2	163.4	163.6	164.0	164.0	163.9	163.0	162.3	163.7
1999	164.3	164.5	165.0	166.2	166.2	166.2	166.7	167.1	167.9	168.2	168.3	168.3	166.6	165.4	167.8
2000	168.8	169.8	171.2	171.3	171.5	172.4	172.8	172.8	173.7	174.0	174.1	174.0	172.2	170.8	173.6
2001	175.1	175.8	176.2	176.9	177.7	178.0	177.5	177.5	178.3	177.7	177.4	176.7	177.1	176.6	177.5
2002	177.1	177.8	178.8	179.8	179.8	179.9	180.1	180.7	181.0	181.3	181.3	180.9	179.9	178.9	180.9
2003	181.7	183.1	184.2	183.8	183.5	183.7	183.9	184.6	185.2	185.0	184.5	184.3	184.0	183.3	184.6
2004	185.2	186.2	187.4	188.0	189.1	189.7	189.4	189.5	189.9	190.9	191.0	190.3	188.9	187.6	190.2
2005	190.7	191.8	193.3	194.6	194.4	194.5	195.4	196.4	198.8	199.2	197.6	196.8	195.3	193.2	197.4
2006	198.3	198.7	199.8	201.5	202.5	202.9	203.5	203.9	202.9	201.8	201.5	201.8	201.6	200.6	202.6
2007	202.416	203.499	205.352	206.686	207.949	208.352	208.299	207.917	208.490	208.936	210.177	210.036	207.342	205.709	208.976
2008	211.080	211.693	213.528	214.823	216.632	218.815	219.964	219.086	218.783	216.573	212.425	210.228	215.303	214.429	216.177
2009	211.143	212.193	212.709	213.240	213.856	215.693	215.351	215.834	215.969	216.177	216.330	215.949	214.537	213.139	215.935
2010	216.687	216.741	217.631	218.009	218.178	217.965	218.011	218.312	218.439	218.711	218.803	219.179	218.056	217.535	218.576
2011	220.223	221.309	223.467	224.906	225.964	225.722	225.922	226.545	226.889	226.421	226.230	225.672	224.939	223.598	226.280
2012	226.665	227.663	229.392	230.085	229.815	229.478	229.104	230.379	231.407	231.317	230.221	229.601	229.594	228.850	230.338
2013	230.280	232.166	232.773	232.531	232.945	233.504	233.596	233.877	234.149	233.546	233.069	233.049	232.957	232.366	233.548
2014	233.916	234.781	236.293	237.072	237.900	238.343	238.250	237.852	238.031	237.433	236.151	234.812	236.736	236.384	237.088
2015	233.707	234.722	236.119	236.599	237.805	238.638	238.654	238.316	237.945	237.838	237.336	236.525	237.017	236.265	237.769
2016	236.916	237.111	238.132	239.261	240.229	241.018	240.628	240.849	241.428	241.729	241.353	241.432	240.007	238.778	241.237
2017	242.839	243.603	243.801	244.524	244.733	244.955	244.786	245.519	246.819	246.663	246.669	246.524	245.120	244.076	246.163
2018	247.867	248.991	249.554	250.546	251.588	251.989	252.006	252.146	252.439	252.885	252.038	251.233	251.107	250.089	252.125
2019	251.712	252.776	254.202	255.548	256.092	256.143	256.571	256.558	256.759	257.346	257.208	256.974	255.657	254.412	256.903
2020	257.971	258.678	258.115	256.389	256.394	257.797	259.101	259.918	260.280	260.388	260.229	260.474	258.811	257.557	260.065
2021	261.582	263.014	264.877	267.054	269.195	271.696	273.003	273.567	274.310	276.589	277.948	278.802	270.970	266.236	275.703
2022	281.148	283.716	287.504	289.109	292.296	296.311	296.276	296.171						288.347

The Effects of Inflation on the Average Joe

The grocery store is one of the first places we feel the effects of inflation in our everyday lives. It takes more money to feed a family over the years because either prices are rising or prices remain the same but the packages are smaller. For instance, when was the last time you bought a half gallon of ice cream? That used to be the standard. But rather than raise prices, companies reduced the size of the product and sold it for the same price. In fact, ice cream packages have changed at least twice in the last several years. From a half gallon (64oz) it was reduced to 56 oz. and now 48oz. So instead of a 2 quarts of ice cream we now get 1.5 quarts for the same price. Ice cream is not the only food product where we receive less for our money. Look at spaghetti sauce, crackers, yogurt, you name it! Food prices are increasing across the board, but companies are hoping we don’t look closely at the labels.

What is a Person to do?

It doesn’t seem like inflation will ever end, especially since in the United States we have had 95% inflation since 1913. But along with inflation goes increased income. In 1976 you could buy gas on average for about $0.59/gal., but minimum wage was only $2.30. In some areas wages keep up with inflation, while in others wages lag behind.

One of the best strategies to deal with inflation is to save and invest for the future. Be the best employee you can and earn the most you can, in order to save as much as possible. Over the long term, inflation has averaged about 3% a year, so when investing, look for choices that beat the inflation rate.

The younger you are the more aggressive you can be with your investments. Although having more risk, an S&P 500 Index Fund has a good chance of beating inflation over time. Remember to always diversify your portfolio. You might also want to consider TIPS – Treasury Inflation Protected Securities which are bonds that increase with inflation. Real estate, especially owning the home you live in is also a good bet since historically homes hold their value against inflation.

If near retirement, consider delaying Social Security until full retirement age when you will receive a larger check compared to age 62. One nice benefit of Social Security is that it contains built-in annual cost of living adjustments, though CPI figures may be adjusted to achieve desired political outcomes.

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