What happened to prices after 2010
The 2010s were the calmest decade for prices since the deflation of the 1930s, averaging 1.8% a year. In 2012 the Federal Reserve formally adopted a 2% inflation target, and for most of the decade inflation ran below it; in 2015 it was just 0.7%.
Then the 2020s broke the pattern, with inflation of 7.0% in 2021 and another 6.5% the year after. That is why $100 from 2010 is now worth almost $148: about half of that rise happened in the last five years.
What amounts from 2010 are worth today
| In 2010 | In 2025 | 2025 amount in 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| $1 | $1.48 | $0.68 |
| $5 | $7.39 | $3.38 |
| $10 | $14.79 | $6.76 |
| $20 | $29.57 | $13.53 |
| $50 | $73.93 | $33.82 |
| $100 | $147.86 | $67.63 |
| $500 | $739.28 | $338.17 |
| $1,000 | $1,478.56 | $676.33 |
| $5,000 | $7,392.79 | $3,381.67 |
| $10,000 | $14,785.58 | $6,763.34 |
Read across: $1,000 in 2010 buys what $1,479 did in 2025, and $1,000 in 2025 would have bought what $676.33 did in 2010.
Inflation by decade since 2010
| Decade | Average a year | Prices over the decade |
|---|---|---|
| 2010s (2011–2019) | 1.78% | +17.2% |
| 2020s (2020–2025) | 3.94% | +26.1% |
Every year since 2010: CPI, inflation and the cost of $100 of 2010 goods
| Year | CPI (Dec.) | Inflation | Cost of $100 of 2010 goods |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 219.2 | — | $100.00 |
| 2011 | 225.7 | +3.0% | $102.97 |
| 2012 | 229.6 | +1.7% | $104.74 |
| 2013 | 233.0 | +1.5% | $106.30 |
| 2014 | 234.8 | +0.8% | $107.12 |
| 2015 | 236.5 | +0.7% | $107.89 |
| 2016 | 241.4 | +2.1% | $110.13 |
| 2017 | 246.5 | +2.1% | $112.45 |
| 2018 | 251.2 | +1.9% | $114.60 |
| 2019 | 257.0 | +2.3% | $117.24 |
| 2020 | 260.5 | +1.4% | $118.84 |
| 2021 | 278.8 | +7.0% | $127.19 |
| 2022 | 296.8 | +6.5% | $135.40 |
| 2023 | 306.7 | +3.3% | $139.92 |
| 2024 | 315.6 | +2.9% | $143.98 |
| 2025 | 324.1 | +2.7% | $147.86 |
How this is calculated
We divide the consumer price index for December 2025 (324.1) by the index for December 2010 (219.2), which gives 1.4786, and multiply. Each year’s inflation runs December to December. December figures follow prices to the end of each year, so they can differ slightly from tables that use yearly averages. The index measures an average urban household’s spending; your own costs can rise faster or slower.
For what the stock market did over the same years, see S&P 500 returns since 2010. Every figure here comes from the same data as the inflation calculator. The method is on the methodology page.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. city average, all items, December values.