Inflation & buying power
What is 2012 dollars worth today?
$1 in 2012 has the same buying power as about $1.46 today (May 2026). Cumulative inflation since 2012 is about 46%, or roughly 2.7% per year over 14 years.
What 2012 money is worth today
| In 2012 | Worth today (May 2026) |
|---|---|
| $10.00 | $14.60 |
| $100.00 | $145.96 |
| $1,000 | $1,460 |
| $10,000 | $14,596 |
| $100,000 | $145,963 |
Based on the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI-U). A 2012 dollar is worth about $1.46 now.
What this means
A dollar in 2012 — during the 2010s — stretched a lot further than it does now. To match that same buying power today you'd need about $1.46, because everyday prices have climbed about 46% in the 14 years since.
Put another way, today's dollar buys what about $0.69 bought in 2012.
The inflation behind the number
- Total inflation since 2012: about 46%.
- Average annual inflation: about 2.7% per year.
- Time span: 14 years (2012 → 2026).
- Source: CPI-U (CPIAUCNS), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED.
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 2012 worth today?
$1 in 2012 has the same buying power as about $1.46 in May 2026, because prices have risen roughly 46% since then (an average of about 2.7% a year).
How much has inflation been since 2012?
Cumulative inflation from 2012 to May 2026 is about 46%. In other words, something that cost $100 in 2012 costs about $145.96 now.
Where does this data come from?
It uses the U.S. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U, series CPIAUCNS) published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED, using annual-average CPI for past years and the latest monthly value for today.