US Historical Inflation Rates

This page shows the US historical inflation rates each month from 1913 until the present. This 100+ years of data shows a wide variation of data points ranging from high inflation to high deflation. The historical inflation rates shown are annual numbers reported each month.

Historical Inflation Rates - Consumer Price Index (CPI)

The most widely followed measure of inflation in the US is the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The CPI is calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on a monthly basis. The calculation of this CPI number has been adjusted a number of times in the past few decades while trying to preserve the most accurate measure of inflation rates in the US.

US Historical Inflation Rate

*If you are looking for global historical inflation rates, the World Bank is a good place to find them.

The chart below shows the official inflation data as measured by the CPI. Each month's numbers are the year-over-year (YoY) changes from the prior year's CPI. The last column shows the annual average as a simple average of all 12 months of the calendar year. The last column is not an official number. It is only shown to put the year in perspective. The remainder of the data comes from The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). You should also note that the first year 1913 does not have a comparable year to measure, so it is a monthly rate of change.

Year

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Annual Ave

1913 (mo)

0.00%

0.00%

0.00%

0.00%

-1.02%

1.03%

1.02%

0.00%

1.01%

0.00%

1.00%

-0.99%

N/A

1914 (yr)

2.04%

1.02%

1.02%

0.00%

2.06%

1.02%

1.01%

3.03%

2.00%

1.00%

0.99%

1.00%

1.35%

1915

1.00%

1.01%

0.00%

2.04%

2.02%

2.02%

1.00%

-0.98%

-0.98%

0.99%

0.98%

1.98%

0.92%

1916

2.97%

4.00%

6.06%

6.00%

5.94%

6.93%

6.93%

7.92%

9.90%

10.78%

11.65%

12.62%

7.64%

1917

12.50%

15.38%

14.29%

18.87%

19.63%

20.37%

18.52%

19.27%

19.82%

19.47%

17.39%

18.10%

17.80%

1918

19.66%

17.50%

16.67%

12.70%

13.28%

13.08%

17.97%

18.46%

18.05%

18.52%

20.74%

20.44%

17.25%

1919

17.86%

14.89%

17.14%

17.61%

16.55%

14.97%

15.23%

14.94%

13.38%

13.13%

13.50%

14.55%

15.31%

1920

16.97%

20.37%

20.12%

21.56%

21.89%

23.67%

19.54%

14.69%

12.36%

9.94%

7.03%

2.65%

15.90%

1921

-1.55%

-5.64%

-7.11%

-10.84%

-14.08%

-15.79

-14.90%

-12.81%

-12.50%

-12.06%

-12.12%

-10.82%

-10.85%

1922

-11.05%

-8.15%

-8.74%

-7.73%

-5.65%

-5.11%

-5.08%

-6.21%

-5.14%

-4.57%

-3.45%

-2.31%

-6.10%

1923

-0.59%

-0.59%

0.60%

1.20%

1.20%

1.80%

2.38%

3.01%

3.61%

3.59%

2.98%

2.37%

1.8%

1924

2.98%

2.38%

1.79%

0.59%

0.59%

0.00%

0.58%

0.58%

0.58%

0.58%

0.58%

0.00%

0.45%

1925

0.00%

0.00%

1.17%

1.17%

1.76%

2.94%

3.51%

4.12%

3.51%

2.91%

4.65%

3.47%

2.43%

1926

3.47%

4.07%

2.89%

4.07%

2.89%

1.14%

-1.13%

-1.69%

-1.13%

-0.56%

-1.67%

-1.12%

0.94%

1927

-2.23%

-2.79%

-2.81%

-3.35%

-2.25%

-0.56%

-1.14%

-1.15%

-1.14%

-1.14%

-2.26%

-2.26%

-1.92%

1928

-1.14%

-1.72%

-1.16%

-1.16%

-1.15%

-2.84%

-1.16%

-0.58%

0.00%

-1.15%

-0.58%

-1.16%

-1.15%

1929

-1.16%

0.00%

-0.58%

-1.17%

-1.16%

0.00%

1.17%

1.17%

0.00%

0.58%

0.58%

0.58%

0.00%

1930

0.00%

-0.58%

-0.59%

0.59%

-0.59%

-1.75%

-4.05%

-4.62%

-4.05%

-4.62%

-5.20%

-6.40%

-2.66%

1931

-7.02%

-7.65%

-7.69%

-8.82%

-9.47%

-10.12%

-9.04%

8.48%

-9.64%

-9.70%

-10.37

-9.32%

-8.94%

1932

-10.06%

-10.19%

-10.26%

-10.32%

-10.46%

-9.93%

-9.93%

-10.60%

-10.67%

-10.74%

-10.20%

-10.27%

-10.30%

1933

-9.79%

-9.93%

-10.00%

-9.35%

-8.03%

-6.62%

-3.68%

-2.22%

-1.49%

-0.75

0.00%

0.76%

-5.09%

1934

2.33%

4.72%

5.56%

5.56%

5.56%

5.51%

2.29%

1.52%

3.03%

2.27%

2.27%

1.52%

3.51%

1935

3.03%

3.01%

3.01%

3.76%

3.76%

2.24%

2.24%

2.24%

0.74%

1.48%

2.22%

2.99%

2.56%

1936

1.47%

0.73%

0.00%

-0.72%

-0.72%

0.73%

1.46%

2.19%

2.19%

2.19%

1.45%

1.45%

1.03%

1937

2.17%

2.17%

3.65%

4.38%

5.11%

4.35%

4.32%

3.57%

4.29%

4.29%

3.57%

2.86%

3.73%

1938

0.71%

0.00%

-0.70%

-0.70%

-2.08%

-2.08%

-2.76%

-2.76%

-3.42%

-4.11%

-3.45%

-2.78%

-2.01%

1939

-1.41%

-1.42%

-1.42%

-2.82%

-2.13%

-2.13%

-2.13%

-2.13%

0.00%

0.00%

0.00%

0.00%

-1.30%

1940

-0.71%

0.72%

0.72%

1.45%

1.45%

2.17%

1.45%

1.45%

-0.71%

0.00%

0.00%

0.71%

0.73%

1941

1.44%

0.71%

1.43%

2.14%

2.86%

4.26%

5.00%

6.43%

7.86%

9.29%

10.00%

9.93%

5.11%

1942

11.35%

12.06%

12.68%

12.59%

13.19%

10.88%

11.56%

10.74%

9.27%

9.15%

9.09%

9.03%

10.97%

1943

7.64%

6.96%

7.50%

8.07%

7.36%

7.36%

6.10%

4.85%

5.45%

4.19%

3.57%

2.96%

6.00%

1944

2.96%

2.96%

1.16%

0.57%

0.00%

0.57%

1.72%

2.31%

1.72%

1.72%

1.72%

2.30%

1.64%

1945

2.30%

2.30%

2.30%

1.71%

2.29%

2.84%

2.26%

2.26%

2.26%

2.26%

2.26%

2.25%

2.27%

1946

2.25%

1.69%

2.81%

3.37%

3.35%

3.31%

9.39%

11.60%

12.71%

14.92%

17.68%

18.13%

8.43%

1947

18.13%

18.78%

19.67%

19.02%

18.38%

17.65%

12.12%

11.39%

12.75%

10.58%

8.45%

8.84%

14.65%

1948

10.23%

9.30%

6.85%

8.68%

9.13%

9.55%

9.91%

8.89%

6.52%

6.09%

4.76%

2.99%

7.74%

1949

1.27%

1.28%

1.71%

.42%

-0.42%

-0.83%

-2.87%

-2.86%

-2.45%

-2.87%

-1.65%

-2.07%

-0.95%

1950

-2.08%

-1.26%

-0.84%

-1.26%

-0.42%

-0.42%

1.69%

2.10%

2.09%

3.80%

3.78%

5.93%

1.09%

1951

8.09%

9.36%

9.32%

9.32%

9.28%

8.82%

7.47%

6.58%

6.97%

6.50%

6.88%

6.00%

7.88%

1952

4.33%

2.33%

1.94%

2.33%

1.93%

2.32%

3.09%

3.09%

2.30%

1.91%

1.14%

0.75%

2.29%

1953

1.96%

0.76%

1.14%

0.76%

1.14%

1.13%

0.37%

0.75%

0.75%

1.12%

0.75%

0.75%

0.82%

1954

1.13%

1.51%

1.13%

0.75%

0.75%

0.37%

0.37%

0.00%

-0.37%

-0.74%

-0.37%

-0.74%

0.32%

1955

-0.74%

-0.74%

-0.74%

-0.37%

-0.74%

-0.74%

-0.37%

-0.37%

0.37%

0.37%

0.37%

0.37%

-0.28%

1956

0.37%

0.37%

0.37%

0.75%

1.12%

1.87%

2.24%

1.87%

1.86%

2.23%

2.23%

2.99%

1.52%

1957

2.99%

3.36%

3.73%

3.72%

3.70%

3.31%

3.28%

3.66%

3.28%

2.91%

3.27%

2.90%

3.34%

1958

3.62%

3.25%

3.60%

3.58%

3.21%

2.85%

2.47%

2.12%

2.12%

2.12%

2.11%

1.76%

2.74%

1959

1.40%

1.05%

0.35%

0.35%

0.35%

0.69%

0.69%

1.04%

1.38%

1.73%

1.38%

1.73%

1.01%

1960

1.03%

1.73%

1.73%

1.72%

1.72%

1.72%

1.37%

1.37%

1.02%

1.36%

1.36%

1.36%

1.46%

1961

1.7%

1.36%

1.36%

1.02%

1.02%

0.68%

1.35%

1.01%

1.35%

0.67%

0.67%

0.67%

1.07%

1962

0.67%

1.01%

1.01%

1.34%

1.34%

1.34%

1.00%

1.34%

1.33%

1.33%

1.33%

1.33%

1.20%

1963

1.33%

1.00%

1.33%

0.99%

0.99%

1.32%

1.32%

1.32%

0.99%

1.32%

1.32%

1.64%

1.24%

1964

1.64%

1.64%

1.31%

1.31%

1.31%

1.31%

1.30%

0.98%

1.30%

0.97%

1.30%

0.97%

1.28%

1965

0.97%

0.97%

1.29%

1.62%

1.62%

1.94%

1.61%

1.94%

1.61%

1.93%

1.60%

1.92%

1.58%

1966

1.92%

2.56%

2.56%

2.87%

2.87%

2.53%

2.85%

3.48%

3.48%

3.79%

3.79%

3.46%

3.01%

1967

3.46%

2.81%

2.80%

2.48%

2.79%

2.78%

2.77%

2.45%

2.75%

2.43%

2.74%

3.04%

2.77%

1968

3.65%

3.95%

3.94%

3.93%

3.92%

4.20%

4.49%

4.48%

4.46%

4.75%

4.73%

4.72%

4.27%

1969

4.40%

4.68%

5.25%

5.52%

5.51%

5.48%

5.44%

5.71%

5.70%

5.67%

5.93%

6.20%

5.46%

1970

6.18%

6.15%

5.82%

6.06%

6.04%

6.01%

5.98%

5.41%

5.66%

5.63%

5.60%

5.57%

5.84%

1971

5.29%

5.00%

4.71%

4.16%

4.40%

4.64%

4.36%

4.62%

4.08%

3.81%

3.28%

3.27%

4.30%

1972

3.27%

3.51%

3.50%

3.49%

3.23%

2.71%

2.95%

2.94%

3.19%

3.42%

3.67%

3.41%

3.27%

1973

3.65%

3.87%

4.59%

5.06%

5.53%

6.00%

5.73%

7.38%

7.36%

7.80%

8.25%

8.71%

6.16%

1974

9.39%

10.02%

10.39%

10.09%

10.71%

10.86%

11.51%

10.86%

11.95%

12.06%

12.20%

12.34%

11.03%

1975

11.8%

11.23%

10.25%

10.21%

9.47%

9.39%

9.72%

8.60%

7.91%

7.44%

7.38%

6.94%

9.19%

1976

6.72%

6.29%

6.07%

6.05%

6.20%

5.97%

5.35%

5.71%

5.49%

5.46%

4.88%

4.86%

5.76%

1977

5.22%

5.91%

6.44%

6.95%

6.73%

6.87%

6.83%

6.62%

6.60%

6.39%

6.72%

6.70%

6.50%

1978

6.84%

6.43%

6.55%

6.50%

6.97%

7.41%

7.70%

7.84%

8.31%

8.93%

8.89%

9.02%

7.62%

1979

9.28%

9.86%

10.09%

10.49%

10.85%

10.89%

11.26%

11.82%

12.18%

12.07%

12.61%

13.29%

11.22%

1980

13.91%

14.18%

14.76%

14.73%

14.41%

14.38%

13.13%

12.87%

12.60%

12.77%

12.65%

12.52%

13.58%

1981

11.83%

11.41%

10.49%

10.00%

9.78%

9.55%

10.76%

10.80%

10.95%

10.14%

9.59%

8.92%

10.35%

1982

8.39%

7.62%

6.78%

6.51%

6.68%

7.06%

6.44%

5.85%

5.04%

5.14%

4.59%

3.83%

6.16%

1983

3.71%

3.49%

3.60%

3.90%

3.55%

2.58%

2.46%

2.56%

2.86%

2.85%

3.27%

3.79%

3.22%

1984

4.19%

4.60%

4.80%

4.56%

4.23%

4.22%

4.20%

4.29%

4.27%

4.26%

4.05%

3.95%

4.30%

1985

3.53%

3.52%

3.70%

3.69%

3.77%

3.76%

3.55%

3.35%

3.14%

3.23%

3.51%

3.80%

3.55%

1986

3.89%

3.11%

2.26%

1.59%

1.49%

1.77%

1.58%

1.57%

1.75%

1.47%

1.28%

1.10%

1.91%

1987

1.46%

2.10%

3.03%

3.78%

3.86%

3.65%

3.93%

4.28%

4.36%

4.53%

4.53%

4.43%

3.66%

1988

4.05%

3.94%

3.93%

3.90%

3.89%

3.96%

4.13%

4.02%

4.17%

4.25%

4.25%

4.42%

4.08%

1989

4.67%

4.83%

4.98%

5.12%

5.36%

5.17%

4.98%

4.71%

4.34%

4.49%

4.66%

4.65%

4.83%

1990

5.20%

5.26%

5.23%

4.71%

4.36%

4.67%

4.82%

5.62%

6.16%

6.29%

6.27%

6.11%

5.39%

1991

5.65%

5.31%

4.90%

4.89%

4.95%

4.70%

4.45%

3.80%

3.39%

2.92%

2.99%

3.06%

4.25%

1992

2.60%

2.82%

3.19%

3.18%

3.02%

3.09%

3.16%

3.15%

2.99%

3.20%

3.05%

2.90%

3.03%

1993

3.26%

3.25%

3.09%

3.23%

3.22%

3.00%

2.78%

2.77%

2.69%

2.75%

2.68%

2.75%

2.95%

1994

2.52%

2.52%

2.51%

2.36%

2.29%

2.49%

2.77%

2.90%

2.96%

2.61%

2.67%

2.67%

2.61%

1995

2.80%

2.86%

2.85%

3.05%

3.19%

3.04%

2.76%

2.62%

2.54%

2.81%

2.61%

2.54%

2.81%

1996

2.73%

2.65%

2.84%

2.90%

2.89%

2.75%

2.95%

2.88%

3.00%

2.99%

3.26%

3.32%

2.93%

1997

3.04%

3.03%

2.76%

2.50%

2.23%

2.30%

2.23%

2.23%

2.15%

2.08%

1.83%

1.70%

2.34%

1998

1.57%

1.44%

1.37%

1.44%

1.69%

1.68%

1.68%

1.62%

1.49%

1.49%

1.55%

1.61%

1.55%

1999

1.67%

1.61%

1.73%

2.28%

2.09%

1.96%

2.14%

2.26%

2.63%

2.56%

2.62%

2.68%

2.19%

2000

2.74%

3.22%

3.76%

3.07%

3.19%

3.73%

3.66%

3.41%

3.45%

3.45%

3.45%

3.39%

3.38%

2001

3.73%

3.53%

2.92%

3.27%

3.62%

3.25%

2.72%

2.72%

2.65%

2.13%

1.90%

1.55%

2.83%

2002

1.14%

1.14%

1.48%

1.64%

1.18%

1.07%

1.46%

1.80%

1.51%

2.03%

2.20%

2.38%

1.59%

2003

2.60%

2.98%

3.02%

2.22%

2.06%

2.11%

2.11%

2.16%

2.32%

2.04%

1.77%

1.88%

2.27%

2004

1.93%

1.69%

1.74%

2.29%

3.05%

3.27%

2.99%

2.65%

2.54%

3.19%

3.52%

3.26%

2.68%

2005

2.97%

3.01%

3.15%

3.51%

2.80%

2.53%

3.17%

3.64%

4.69%

4.35%

3.46%

3.42%

3.39%

2006

3.99%

3.60%

3.36%

3.55%

4.17%

4.32%

4.15%

3.82%

2.06%

1.31%

1.97%

2.54%

3.24%

2007

2.08%

2.42%

2.78%

2.57%

2.69%

2.69%

2.36%

1.97%

2.76%

3.54%

4.31%

4.08%

2.85%

2008

4.28%

4.03%

3.98%

3.94%

4.18%

5.02%

5.60%

5.37%

4.94%

3.66%

1.07%

0.09%

3.85%

2009

0.03%

0.24%

-0.38%

-0.74%

-1.28%

-1.43%

-2.10%

-1.48%

-1.29%

-0.18%

1.84%

2.72%

-0.34%

2010

2.63%

2.14%

2.31%

2.24%

2.02%

1.05%

1.24%

1.15%

1.14%

1.17%

1.14%

1.50%

1.64%

2011

1.63%

2.11%

2.68%

3.16%

3.57%

3.56%

3.63%

3.77%

3.87%

3.53%

3.39%

2.96%

2.16%

2012

2.93%

2.87%

2.65%

2.30%

1.70%

1.66%

1.41%

1.69%

1.99%

2.16%

1.76%

1.74%

2.07%

2013

1.59%

1.98%

1.47%

1.06%

1.36%

1.75%

1.96%

1.52%

1.18%

0.96%

1.24%

1.50%

1.47%

2014

1.58%

1.13%

1.51%

1.95%

2.13%

2.07%

1.99%

1.70%

1.66%

1.66%

1.32%

0.76%

1.62%

2015

-0.09%

-0.03%

-0.07%

-0.20%

-0.04%

0.12%

0.17%

0.20%

-0.04%

0.17%

0.50%

0.73%

0.12%

2016

1.88%

1.31%

0.83%

0.98%

0.65%

0.50%

0.52%

0.87%

1.29%

1.62%

2.05%

2.66%

1.26%

2017

2.50%

2.74%

2.38%

2.20%

1.87%

1.63%

1.73%

1.94%

2.23%

2.04%

2.20%

2.12%

2.16%

2018

2.07%

 2.21%

2.36%

 2.46%

 2.80%

 2.87%

 2.95%

 2.70%

 2.28%

 2.52%

 2.18%

 1.91%

 2.44%

2019

1.55%

 1.52%

 1.86%

 1.76%

 1.42%

 1.32%

 1.81%

 1.75%

 1.71%

 1.76%

 2.05%

 2.29%

 1.73%

2020

 2.49%

 2.33%

 1.54%

 0.56%

 0.49%

 0.98%

 0.99%

 1.31%

 1.34%

1.16% 

 1.18%

1.17% 

 1.64%

2021

1.40%

1.68%

2.62%

4.16%

4.99%

5.10%

5.05%

5.07%

5.35%

6.22%

7.03%

7.54%

4.68%

2022

7.78%

8.05%

8.62%

8.26%

8.58%

9.06%

8.53%

8.26%

8.20%

7.75%

7.11%

6.45%

8.29%

2023

6.41%

6.04%

4.98%

4.93%

4.05%

2.97%

3.18%

3.67%

3.70%

3.24%

3.14%

3.35%

4.14%

2024

3.09%

3.15%

Cell
Cell
Cell
Cell
Cell
Cell
Cell
Cell
Cell
Cell
Cell

This data will be updated each month to retain its freshness and usefulness to you. We have other resources that might be of help to you as well. It should be noted that these numbers are revised periodically by the source. We do not update all these numbers for every revision. These are only the original numbers when they are published.

Innovative Advisory Group has created the Inflation Monitor, a monthly service that helps put inflation statistics in perspective. The Consumer Price Index(CPI) is the most widely followed indicator of inflation, but it is only one way to assess how inflation is changing. While the US Government and many notable economists use the CPI as the number to accurately define inflation, there are a number of economists who disagree with its accuracy. No one, including supporters of the CPI, would say it is entirely accurate. It is simply the best we have available. Do do not accept this notion. Statistics and methodologies can always be improved.

The Inflation Monitor is our attempt to bring more clarity to the nature of inflation and how it affects consumers. Rather than attempting to use one number to describe the nature of inflation in the US, we have found that separating inflation into different components helps to visualize what is happening in the US economy in a more accurate way.

Scroll to Top