Chicago inflation
Prices in Chicago since 2000
Up 79%
An average of 2.25% a year, compared with 95% for all U.S. prices. $100 of 2000 spending here costs $178.88 in August 2026.
Last 12 months (to August 2026)
2.4%
All U.S. prices, same period
3.4%
Data since
1915
How much prices in Chicago have risen
| Since | Chicago | All U.S. prices | $100 then costs now |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | +1,185% | +1,290% | $1,284.67 |
| 1970 | +699% | +763% | $799.20 |
| 1980 | +278% | +307% | $378.21 |
| 1990 | +136% | +156% | $236.06 |
| 2000 | +79% | +95% | $178.88 |
| 2010 | +46% | +54% | $146.05 |
| 2020 | +27% | +29% | $127.48 |
Calculate Chicago inflation
Inflation rate by year
Every year since 1915
| Year | Index | Change | $1 then costs now |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 301.2 | 3.1% | $1.03 |
| 2024 | 292.2 | 3.5% | $1.06 |
| 2023 | 282.4 | 3.3% | $1.10 |
| 2022 | 273.4 | 7.6% | $1.14 |
| 2021 | 254.2 | 4.2% | $1.22 |
| 2020 | 243.9 | 1.1% | $1.27 |
| 2019 | 241.2 | 1.5% | $1.29 |
| 2018 | 237.7 | 1.8% | $1.31 |
| 2017 | 233.6 | 1.9% | $1.33 |
| 2016 | 229.3 | 0.7% | $1.36 |
| 2015 | 227.8 | -0.3% | $1.36 |
| 2014 | 228.5 | 1.7% | $1.36 |
| 2013 | 224.5 | 1.1% | $1.38 |
| 2012 | 222.0 | 1.5% | $1.40 |
| 2011 | 218.7 | 2.7% | $1.42 |
| 2010 | 212.9 | 1.4% | $1.46 |
| 2009 | 210.0 | -1.2% | $1.48 |
| 2008 | 212.5 | 3.8% | $1.46 |
| 2007 | 204.8 | 3.3% | $1.52 |
| 2006 | 198.3 | 2.1% | $1.57 |
| 2005 | 194.3 | 3.0% | $1.60 |
| 2004 | 188.6 | 2.2% | $1.65 |
| 2003 | 184.5 | 1.8% | $1.69 |
| 2002 | 181.2 | 1.6% | $1.72 |
| 2001 | 178.3 | 2.6% | $1.74 |
| 2000 | 173.8 | 3.2% | $1.79 |
| 1999 | 168.4 | 2.1% | $1.85 |
| 1998 | 165.0 | 2.0% | $1.88 |
| 1997 | 161.7 | 2.7% | $1.92 |
| 1996 | 157.4 | 2.7% | $1.98 |
| 1995 | 153.3 | 3.2% | $2.03 |
| 1994 | 148.6 | 2.2% | $2.09 |
| 1993 | 145.4 | 3.0% | $2.14 |
| 1992 | 141.1 | 3.0% | $2.20 |
| 1991 | 137.0 | 4.0% | $2.27 |
| 1990 | 131.7 | 5.4% | $2.36 |
| 1989 | 125.0 | 5.0% | $2.49 |
| 1988 | 119.0 | 3.9% | $2.61 |
| 1987 | 114.5 | 4.1% | $2.72 |
| 1986 | 110.0 | 2.1% | $2.83 |
| 1985 | 107.7 | 3.8% | $2.89 |
| 1984 | 103.8 | 3.8% | $3.00 |
| 1983 | 100.0 | 4.0% | $3.11 |
| 1982 | 96.2 | 6.9% | $3.23 |
| 1981 | 90.0 | 9.5% | $3.45 |
| 1980 | 82.2 | 14.5% | $3.78 |
| 1979 | 71.8 | 12.5% | $4.33 |
| 1978 | 63.8 | 8.5% | $4.87 |
| 1977 | 58.8 | 6.3% | $5.29 |
| 1976 | 55.3 | 4.7% | $5.62 |
| 1975 | 52.8 | 8.0% | $5.89 |
| 1974 | 48.9 | 10.6% | $6.36 |
| 1973 | 44.2 | 6.3% | $7.03 |
| 1972 | 41.6 | 3.0% | $7.47 |
| 1971 | 40.4 | 3.9% | $7.70 |
| 1970 | 38.9 | 5.7% | $7.99 |
| 1969 | 36.8 | 5.4% | $8.45 |
| 1968 | 34.9 | 4.2% | $8.91 |
| 1967 | 33.5 | 2.8% | $9.28 |
| 1966 | 32.6 | 2.8% | $9.54 |
| 1965 | 31.7 | 1.3% | $9.81 |
| 1964 | 31.3 | 0.6% | $9.93 |
| 1963 | 31.1 | 1.0% | $10.00 |
| 1962 | 30.8 | 1.0% | $10.09 |
| 1961 | 30.5 | 0.3% | $10.19 |
| 1960 | 30.4 | 1.7% | $10.23 |
| 1959 | 29.9 | 0.7% | $10.40 |
| 1958 | 29.7 | 3.1% | $10.47 |
| 1957 | 28.8 | 3.2% | $10.79 |
| 1956 | 27.9 | 1.5% | $11.14 |
| 1955 | 27.5 | 0.4% | $11.31 |
| 1954 | 27.4 | 1.9% | $11.35 |
| 1953 | 26.9 | 0.7% | $11.56 |
| 1952 | 26.7 | 2.3% | $11.64 |
| 1951 | 26.1 | 7.9% | $11.91 |
| 1950 | 24.2 | 0.8% | $12.85 |
| 1949 | 24.0 | 0.0% | $12.95 |
| 1948 | 24.0 | 8.6% | $12.95 |
| 1947 | 22.1 | 16.3% | $14.07 |
| 1946 | 19.0 | 8.6% | $16.36 |
| 1945 | 17.5 | 2.3% | $17.77 |
| 1944 | 17.1 | 1.2% | $18.18 |
| 1943 | 16.9 | 5.6% | $18.40 |
| 1942 | 16.0 | 10.3% | $19.43 |
| 1941 | 14.5 | 5.1% | $21.44 |
| 1940 | 13.8 | 0.7% | $22.53 |
| 1939 | 13.7 | -1.4% | $22.69 |
| 1938 | 13.9 | -2.1% | $22.37 |
| 1937 | 14.2 | 5.2% | $21.89 |
| 1936 | 13.5 | 0.7% | $23.03 |
| 1935 | 13.4 | 4.7% | $23.20 |
| 1934 | 12.8 | 1.6% | $24.29 |
| 1933 | 12.6 | -8.0% | $24.67 |
| 1932 | 13.7 | -12.2% | $22.69 |
| 1931 | 15.6 | -9.3% | $19.93 |
| 1930 | 17.2 | -2.3% | $18.08 |
| 1929 | 17.6 | -0.6% | $17.66 |
| 1928 | 17.7 | -1.1% | $17.56 |
| 1927 | 17.9 | -2.2% | $17.37 |
| 1926 | 18.3 | 0.5% | $16.99 |
| 1925 | 18.2 | 2.8% | $17.08 |
| 1924 | 17.7 | 1.7% | $17.56 |
| 1923 | 17.4 | 2.4% | $17.87 |
| 1922 | 17.0 | -5.6% | $18.29 |
| 1921 | 18.0 | -9.1% | $17.27 |
| 1920 | 19.8 | 14.5% | $15.70 |
| 1919 | 17.3 | 16.1% | $17.97 |
| 1918 | 14.9 | 15.5% | $20.87 |
| 1917 | 12.9 | 18.3% | $24.10 |
| 1916 | 10.9 | 7.9% | $28.52 |
| 1915 | 10.1 | $30.78 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U series CUURS23ASA0, not seasonally adjusted. Index values are relative (only the changes matter), so they can't be compared across categories.
Questions
- What is the inflation rate in Chicago?
- Prices in Chicago were 2.4% higher in August 2026 than a year earlier.
- How much have prices risen in Chicago since 2000?
- 79%, compared with 95% for the U.S. as a whole. $100 of 2000 spending costs $178.88 now.
- What area does this cover?
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI, as defined by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (CPI-U series CUURS23ASA0).
- How often is Chicago CPI updated?
- BLS prices the largest metro areas every month and the others every other month, so the latest figure can be a month older than the national one.