Consumer Price Index (Estimate) 1800-2008

Source:
Handbook of Labor Statistics
U.S. Department of Labor
Bureau of Labor Statistics

Indexes from 1800 to 1912 and 2010 estimated by splicing the following series:

  • 1800 to 1851 - Index of Prices Paid by Vermont Farmers for Family Living;
  • 1851 to 1890 - Consumer Price Index by Ethel D. Hoover;
  • 1890 to 1912 - Cost of Living Index by Albert Rees;
  • 2010 - An estimate for 2010 is based on the change in the CPI from first quarter 2009 to first quarter 2010.

To calculate the change in prices, use the formula from the example below:

What is $1 in 1850 worth in 2010?

2010 Price = 1850 Price x (2010 CPI / 1850 CPI)
2010 Price = $1 x (657.8 / 25)
2010 Price = $26.31

$1 in 1850 is worth $26.31 in 2010.

CPI-U
1967 = 100

Year Annual Average Annual Percent Change
(rate of inflation)
1800
51
--
1801
50
-2.0
1802
43
-14.0
1803
45
4.7
1804
45
0.0
1805
45
0.0
1806
47
4.4
1807
44
-6.4
1808
48
9.1
1809
47
-2.1
1810
47
0.0
1811
50
6.4
1812
51
2.0
1813
58
13.7
1814
63
8.6
1815
55
-12.7
1816
51
-7.3
1817
48
-5.9
1818
46
-4.2
1819
46
0.0
1820
42
-8.7
1821
40
-4.8
1822
40
0.0
1823
36
-10.0
1824
33
-8.3
1825
34
3.0
1826
34
0.0
1827
34
0.0
1828
33
-2.9
1829
32
-3.0
1830
32
0.0
1831
32
0.0
1832
30
-6.3
1833
29
-3.3
1834
30
3.4
1835
31
3.3
1836
33
6.5
1837
34
3.0
1838
32
-5.9
1839
32
0.0
1840
30
-6.3
1841
31
3.3
1842
29
-6.5
1843
28
-3.4
1844
28
0.0
1845
28
0.0
1846
27
-3.6
1847
28
3.7
1848
26
-7.1
1849
25
-3.8
1850
25
0.0
1851
25
0.0
1852
25
0.0
1853
25
0.0
1854
27
8.0
1855
28
3.7
1856
27
-3.6
1857
28
3.7
1858
26
-7.1
1859
27
3.8
1860
27
0.0
1861
27
0.0
1862
30
11.1
1863
37
23.3
1864
47
27.0
1865
46
-2.1
1866
44
-4.3
1867
42
-4.5
1868
40
-4.8
1869
40
0.0
1870
38
-5.0
1871
36
-5.3
1872
36
0.0
1873
36
0.0
1874
34
-5.6
1875
33
-2.9
1876
32
-3.0
1877
32
0.0
1878
29
-9.4
1879
28
-3.4
1880
29
3.6
1881
29
0.0
1882
29
0.0
1883
28
-3.4
1884
27
-3.6
1885
27
0.0
1886
27
0.0
1887
27
0.0
1888
27
0.0
1889
27
0.0
1890
27
0.0
1891
27
0.0
1892
27
0.0
1893
27
0.0
1894
26
-3.7
1895
25
-3.8
1896
25
0.0
1897
25
0.0
1898
25
0.0
1899
25
0.0
1900
25
0.0
1901
25
0.0
1902
26
4.0
1903
27
3.8
1904
27
0.0
1905
27
0.0
1906
27
0.0
1907
28
3.7
1908
27
-3.6
1909
27
0.0
1910
28
3.7
1911
28
0.0
1912
29
3.6
1913
29.7
2.4
1914
30.1
1.3
1915
30.4
1.0
1916
32.7
7.6
1917
38.4
17.4
1918
45.1
17.4
1919
51.8
14.9
1920
60.0
15.8
1921
53.6
-10.7
1922
50.2
-6.3
1923
51.1
1.8
1924
51.2
0.2
1925
52.5
2.5
1926
53.0
1.0
1927
52.0
-1.9
1928
51.3
-1.3
1929
51.3
0.0
1930
50.0
-2.5
1931
45.6
-8.8
1932
40.9
-10.3
1933
38.8
-5.1
1934
40.1
3.4
1935
41.1
2.5
1936
41.5
1.0
1937
43.0
3.6
1938
42.2
-1.9
1939
41.6
-1.4
1940
42.0
1.0
1941
44.1
5.0
1942
48.8
10.7
1943
51.8
6.1
1944
52.7
1.7
1945
53.9
2.3
1946
58.5
8.5
1947
66.9
14.4
1948
72.1
7.8
1949
71.4
-1.0
1950
72.1
1.0
1951
77.8
7.9
1952
79.5
2.2
1953
80.1
0.8
1954
80.5
0.5
1955
80.2
-0.4
1956
81.4
1.5
1957
84.3
3.6
1958
86.6
2.7
1959
87.3
0.8
1960
88.7
1.6
1961
89.6
1.0
1962
90.6
1.1
1963
91.7
1.2
1964
92.9
1.3
1965
94.5
1.7
1966
97.2
2.9
1967
100.0
2.9
1968
104.2
4.2
1969
109.8
5.4
1970
116.3
5.9
1971
121.3
4.3
1972
125.3
3.3
1973
133.1
6.2
1974
147.7
11.0
1975
161.2
9.1
1976
170.5
5.8
1977
181.5
6.5
1978
195.4
7.7
1979
217.4
11.3
1980
246.8
13.5
1981
272.4
10.4
1982
289.1
6.1
1983
298.4
3.2
1984
311.1
4.3
1985
322.2
3.6
1986
328.4
1.8
1987
340.4
3.6
1988
354.3
4.1
1989
371.3
4.8
1990
391.4
5.4
1991
408.0
4.2
1992
420.3
3.0
1993
432.7
3.0
1994
444.0
2.2
1995
456.5
2.8
1996
469.9
2.9
1997
480.8
2.3
1998
488.3
1.6
1999
499.1
2.2
2000
515.8
3.4
2001
530.1
2.8
2002
538.8
1.6
2003
551.0
2.3
2004
565.7
2.7
2005
584.8
3.4
2006
603.5
3.2
2007
620.7
2.9
2008
644.4
3.8
2009
642.2
-0.3
2010*
657.8
2.4
*An estimate for 2010 is based on the change in the CPI from first quarter 2009 to first quarter 2010.
 
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