Inflation & buying power
What is 2021 dollars worth today?
$1 in 2021 has the same buying power as about $1.24 today (May 2026). Cumulative inflation since 2021 is about 24%, or roughly 4.3% per year over 5 years.
What 2021 money is worth today
| In 2021 | Worth today (May 2026) |
|---|---|
| $10.00 | $12.37 |
| $100.00 | $123.68 |
| $1,000 | $1,237 |
| $10,000 | $12,368 |
| $100,000 | $123,675 |
Based on the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI-U). A 2021 dollar is worth about $1.24 now.
What this means
A dollar in 2021 — during the post-pandemic 2020s — stretched a lot further than it does now. To match that same buying power today you'd need about $1.24, because everyday prices have climbed about 24% in the 5 years since.
Put another way, today's dollar buys what about $0.81 bought in 2021.
The inflation behind the number
- Total inflation since 2021: about 24%.
- Average annual inflation: about 4.3% per year.
- Time span: 5 years (2021 → 2026).
- Source: CPI-U (CPIAUCNS), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED.
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 2021 worth today?
$1 in 2021 has the same buying power as about $1.24 in May 2026, because prices have risen roughly 24% since then (an average of about 4.3% a year).
How much has inflation been since 2021?
Cumulative inflation from 2021 to May 2026 is about 24%. In other words, something that cost $100 in 2021 costs about $123.68 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.