Value of $12,000 from 1858 to 2017

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index, prices in 2017 are 2,889.27% higher than average prices since 1858. The U.S. dollar experienced an average inflation rate of 2.16% per year during this period, causing the real value of a dollar to decrease.

In other words, $12,000 in 1858 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $358,712.20 in 2017, a difference of $346,712.20 over 159 years.

The 1858 inflation rate was -5.75%. The inflation rate in 2017 was 2.13%. The 2017 inflation rate is higher compared to the average inflation rate of 1.97% per year between 2017 and 2020.

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Inflation from 1858 to 2017 Cumulative price change 2,889.27% Average inflation rate 2.16% Converted amount ($12,000 base) $358,712.20 Price difference ($12,000 base) $346,712.20 CPI in 1858 8.200 CPI in 2017 245.120 Inflation in 1858 -5.75% Inflation in 2017 2.13%

USD Inflation since 1635 Annual Rate, the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Download

Buying power of $12,000 in 1858 This chart shows a calculation of buying power equivalence for $12,000 in 1858 (price index tracking began in 1635). For example, if you started with $12,000, you would need to end with $358,712.20 in order to "adjust" for inflation (sometimes refered to as "beating inflation"). Download When $12,000 is equivalent to $358,712.20 over time, that means that the "real value" of a single U.S. dollar decreases over time. In other words, a dollar will pay for fewer items at the store. This effect explains how inflation erodes the value of a dollar over time. By calculating the value in 1858 dollars, the chart below shows how $12,000 is worth less over 159 years. Download According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, each of these USD amounts below is equal in terms of what it could buy at the time: Dollar inflation: 1858-2017 Year Dollar Value Inflation Rate 1858 $12,000.00 -5.75% 1859 $12,146.34 1.22% 1860 $12,146.34 0.00% 1861 $12,878.05 6.02% 1862 $14,780.49 14.77% 1863 $18,439.02 24.75% 1864 $22,975.61 24.60% 1865 $23,853.66 3.82% 1866 $23,268.29 -2.45% 1867 $21,658.54 -6.92% 1868 $20,780.49 -4.05% 1869 $19,902.44 -4.23% 1870 $19,170.73 -3.68% 1871 $17,853.66 -6.87% 1872 $17,853.66 0.00% 1873 $17,560.98 -1.64% 1874 $16,682.93 -5.00% 1875 $16,097.56 -3.51% 1876 $15,658.54 -2.73% 1877 $15,365.85 -1.87% 1878 $14,634.15 -4.76% 1879 $14,634.15 0.00% 1880 $14,926.83 2.00% 1881 $14,926.83 0.00% 1882 $14,926.83 0.00% 1883 $14,780.49 -0.98% 1884 $14,341.46 -2.97% 1885 $14,195.12 -1.02% 1886 $13,756.10 -3.09% 1887 $13,902.44 1.06% 1888 $13,902.44 0.00% 1889 $13,463.41 -3.16% 1890 $13,317.07 -1.09% 1891 $13,317.07 0.00% 1892 $13,317.07 0.00% 1893 $13,170.73 -1.10% 1894 $12,585.37 -4.44% 1895 $12,292.68 -2.33% 1896 $12,292.68 0.00% 1897 $12,146.34 -1.19% 1898 $12,146.34 0.00% 1899 $12,146.34 0.00% 1900 $12,292.68 1.20% 1901 $12,439.02 1.19% 1902 $12,585.37 1.18% 1903 $12,878.05 2.33% 1904 $13,024.39 1.14% 1905 $12,878.05 -1.12% 1906 $13,170.73 2.27% 1907 $13,756.10 4.44% 1908 $13,463.41 -2.13% 1909 $13,317.07 -1.09% 1910 $13,902.44 4.40% 1911 $13,902.44 0.00% 1912 $14,195.12 2.11% 1913 $14,487.80 2.06% 1914 $14,634.15 1.01% 1915 $14,780.49 1.00% 1916 $15,951.22 7.92% 1917 $18,731.71 17.43% 1918 $22,097.56 17.97% 1919 $25,317.07 14.57% 1920 $29,268.29 15.61% 1921 $26,195.12 -10.50% 1922 $24,585.37 -6.15% 1923 $25,024.39 1.79% 1924 $25,024.39 0.00% 1925 $25,609.76 2.34% 1926 $25,902.44 1.14% 1927 $25,463.41 -1.69% 1928 $25,024.39 -1.72% 1929 $25,024.39 0.00% 1930 $24,439.02 -2.34% 1931 $22,243.90 -8.98% 1932 $20,048.78 -9.87% 1933 $19,024.39 -5.11% 1934 $19,609.76 3.08% 1935 $20,048.78 2.24% 1936 $20,341.46 1.46% 1937 $21,073.17 3.60% 1938 $20,634.15 -2.08% 1939 $20,341.46 -1.42% 1940 $20,487.80 0.72% 1941 $21,512.20 5.00% 1942 $23,853.66 10.88% 1943 $25,317.07 6.13% 1944 $25,756.10 1.73% 1945 $26,341.46 2.27% 1946 $28,536.59 8.33% 1947 $32,634.15 14.36% 1948 $35,268.29 8.07% 1949 $34,829.27 -1.24% 1950 $35,268.29 1.26% 1951 $38,048.78 7.88% 1952 $38,780.49 1.92% 1953 $39,073.17 0.75% 1954 $39,365.85 0.75% 1955 $39,219.51 -0.37% 1956 $39,804.88 1.49% 1957 $41,121.95 3.31% 1958 $42,292.68 2.85% 1959 $42,585.37 0.69% 1960 $43,317.07 1.72% 1961 $43,756.10 1.01% 1962 $44,195.12 1.00% 1963 $44,780.49 1.32% 1964 $45,365.85 1.31% 1965 $46,097.56 1.61% 1966 $47,414.63 2.86% 1967 $48,878.05 3.09% 1968 $50,926.83 4.19% 1969 $53,707.32 5.46% 1970 $56,780.49 5.72% 1971 $59,268.29 4.38% 1972 $61,170.73 3.21% 1973 $64,975.61 6.22% 1974 $72,146.34 11.04% 1975 $78,731.71 9.13% 1976 $83,268.29 5.76% 1977 $88,682.93 6.50% 1978 $95,414.63 7.59% 1979 $106,243.90 11.35% 1980 $120,585.37 13.50% 1981 $133,024.39 10.32% 1982 $141,219.51 6.16% 1983 $145,756.10 3.21% 1984 $152,048.78 4.32% 1985 $157,463.41 3.56% 1986 $160,390.24 1.86% 1987 $166,243.90 3.65% 1988 $173,121.95 4.14% 1989 $181,463.41 4.82% 1990 $191,268.29 5.40% 1991 $199,317.07 4.21% 1992 $205,317.07 3.01% 1993 $211,463.41 2.99% 1994 $216,878.05 2.56% 1995 $223,024.39 2.83% 1996 $229,609.76 2.95% 1997 $234,878.05 2.29% 1998 $238,536.59 1.56% 1999 $243,804.88 2.21% 2000 $252,000.00 3.36% 2001 $259,170.73 2.85% 2002 $263,268.29 1.58% 2003 $269,268.29 2.28% 2004 $276,439.02 2.66% 2005 $285,804.88 3.39% 2006 $295,024.39 3.23% 2007 $303,427.32 2.85% 2008 $315,077.56 3.84% 2009 $313,956.59 -0.36% 2010 $319,106.34 1.64% 2011 $329,179.02 3.16% 2012 $335,991.22 2.07% 2013 $340,912.68 1.46% 2014 $346,442.93 1.62% 2015 $346,854.15 0.12% 2016 $351,229.76 1.26% 2017 $358,712.20 2.13% 2018 $367,653.66 2.49% 2019 $374,132.93 1.76% 2020 $380,367.80 1.67%* * Compared to previous annual rate. Not final. See * Compared to previous annual rate. Not final. See inflation summary for latest 12-month trailing value. Click to show 153 more rows Download as CSV/Excel This conversion table shows various other 1858 amounts in 2017 dollars, based on the 2,889.27% change in prices: Conversion Table: Value of a dollar in 2017 Initial value Equivalent value $1 dollar in 1858 $29.89 dollars in 2017 $5 dollars in 1858 $149.46 dollars in 2017 $10 dollars in 1858 $298.93 dollars in 2017 $50 dollars in 1858 $1,494.63 dollars in 2017 $100 dollars in 1858 $2,989.27 dollars in 2017 $500 dollars in 1858 $14,946.34 dollars in 2017 $1,000 dollars in 1858 $29,892.68 dollars in 2017 $5,000 dollars in 1858 $149,463.41 dollars in 2017 $10,000 dollars in 1858 $298,926.83 dollars in 2017 $50,000 dollars in 1858 $1,494,634.15 dollars in 2017 $100,000 dollars in 1858 $2,989,268.29 dollars in 2017 $500,000 dollars in 1858 $14,946,341.46 dollars in 2017 $1,000,000 dollars in 1858 $29,892,682.93 dollars in 2017

Inflation by Country Inflation can also vary widely by country. For comparison, in the UK £12,000.00 in 1858 would be equivalent to £1,417,450.55 in 2017, an absolute change of £1,405,450.55 and a cumulative change of 11,712.09%. Compare these numbers to the US's overall absolute change of $346,712.20 and total percent change of 2,889.27%.

Inflation by Spending Category CPI is the weighted combination of many categories of spending that are tracked by the government. Breaking down these categories helps explain the main drivers behind price changes. This chart shows the average rate of inflation for select CPI categories between 1858 and 2017. Compare these values to the overall average of 2.16% per year: Category Avg Inflation (%) Total Inflation (%) $12,000 in 1858 → 2017 Food and beverages 4.01 51,752.37 6,222,284.31 Housing 4.29 79,154.76 9,510,571.62 Apparel 2.07 2,503.00 312,360.14 Transportation 3.29 17,039.66 2,056,759.40 Medical care 5.21 323,551.46 38,838,174.73 Recreation 1.11 481.82 69,817.94 Education and communication 1.97 2,107.12 264,854.02 Other goods and services 5.15 294,977.51 35,409,301.73 The graph below compares inflation in categories of goods over time. Click on a category such as "Food" to toggle it on or off: For all these visualizations, it's important to note that not all categories may have been tracked since 1858. This table and charts use the earliest available data for each category.

How to Calculate Inflation Rate for $12,000, 1858 to 2017 Our calculations use the following inflation rate formula to calculate the change in value between 1858 and 2017: CPI in 2017 CPI in 1858 × 1858 USD value = 2017 USD value Then plug in historical CPI values. The U.S. CPI was 8.2 in the year 1858 and 245.12 in 2017: 245.12 8.2 × $12,000 = $358,712.20 $12,000 in 1858 has the same "purchasing power" or "buying power" as $358,712.20 in 2017. To get the total inflation rate for the 159 years between 1858 and 2017, we use the following formula: CPI in 2017 - CPI in 1858 CPI in 1858 × 100 = Cumulative inflation rate (159 years) Plugging in the values to this equation, we get: 245.12 - 8.2 8.2 × 100 = 2,889%

News headlines from 1858 Politics and news often influence economic performance. Here's what was happening at the time: Fourteen-year-old Bernadette of Lourdes had her first vision of the Virgin Mary.

Recasting begins of "Big Ben" in the Tower of Westminster. Big ben weighs over 13 tons.

Abraham Lincoln accepts the Republican Party's nomination for Senate, saying: "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

Transfer of the Government of India to the British Crown.

Data Source & Citation

Raw data for these calculations comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index (CPI), established in 1913. Inflation data from 1665 to 1912 is sourced from a historical study conducted by political science professor Robert Sahr at Oregon State University.

You may use the following MLA citation for this page: “$12,000 in 1858 → 2017 | Inflation Calculator.” Official Inflation Data, Alioth Finance, 18 Sep. 2020, https://www.officialdata.org/1858-dollars-in-2017?amount=12000.

Special thanks to QuickChart for their chart image API, which is used for chart downloads.

in2013dollars.com is a reference website maintained by the Official Data Foundation.