Composite Consumer Price Index; 1860=1
Note: The CPI index tries to compare the cost of a certain group of goods that can be purchased for a certain amount. In this case, the value of $1 was set in the year 1860. As costs have risen since then, that means at the end of 2003, you would need $22.07 to buy the same group of items.
| Year | Amount | Year | Amount | Year | Amount | Year | Amount |
| 1860 | $1.00 | 1896 | $1.01 | 1932 | $1.64 | 1968 | $4.18 |
| 1861 | $1.06 | 1897 | $1.00 | 1933 | $1.56 | 1969 | $4.40 |
| 1862 | $1.21 | 1898 | $1.00 | 1934 | $1.61 | 1970 | $4.66 |
| 1863 | $1.51 | 1899 | $1.00 | 1935 | $1.64 | 1971 | $4.86 |
| 1864 | $1.89 | 1900 | $1.01 | 1936 | $1.67 | 1972 | $5.02 |
| 1865 | $1.96 | 1901 | $1.02 | 1937 | $1.73 | 1973 | $5.33 |
| 1866 | $1.91 | 1902 | $1.03 | 1938 | $1.69 | 1974 | $5.92 |
| 1867 | $1.78 | 1903 | $1.06 | 1939 | $1.67 | 1975 | $6.46 |
| 1868 | $1.71 | 1904 | $1.07 | 1940 | $1.68 | 1976 | $6.83 |
| 1869 | $1.64 | 1905 | $1.06 | 1941 | $1.76 | 1977 | $7.27 |
| 1870 | $1.57 | 1906 | $1.08 | 1942 | $1.96 | 1978 | $7.82 |
| 1871 | $1.47 | 1907 | $1.13 | 1943 | $2.08 | 1979 | $8.71 |
| 1872 | $1.47 | 1908 | $1.11 | 1944 | $2.11 | 1980 | $9.89 |
| 1873 | $1.44 | 1909 | $1.09 | 1945 | $2.16 | 1981 | $10.91 |
| 1874 | $1.37 | 1910 | $1.14 | 1946 | $2.34 | 1982 | $11.58 |
| 1875 | $1.32 | 1911 | $1.14 | 1947 | $2.68 | 1983 | $11.95 |
| 1876 | $1.29 | 1912 | $1.17 | 1948 | $2.89 | 1984 | $12.47 |
| 1877 | $1.26 | 1913 | $1.19 | 1949 | $2.86 | 1985 | $12.91 |
| 1878 | $1.20 | 1914 | $1.20 | 1950 | $2.89 | 1986 | $13.15 |
| 1879 | $1.20 | 1915 | $1.21 | 1951 | $3.12 | 1987 | $13.63 |
| 1880 | $1.23 | 1916 | $1.31 | 1952 | $3.18 | 1988 | $14.19 |
| 1881 | $1.23 | 1917 | $1.54 | 1953 | $3.20 | 1989 | $14.88 |
| 1882 | $1.23 | 1918 | $1.81 | 1954 | $3.23 | 1990 | $15.68 |
| 1883 | $1.21 | 1919 | $2.08 | 1955 | $3.22 | 1991 | $16.34 |
| 1884 | $1.18 | 1920 | $2.40 | 1956 | $3.26 | 1992 | $16.83 |
| 1885 | $1.16 | 1921 | $2.15 | 1957 | $3.37 | 1993 | $17.34 |
| 1886 | $1.13 | 1922 | $2.02 | 1958 | $3.47 | 1994 | $17.78 |
| 1887 | $1.14 | 1923 | $2.05 | 1959 | $3.49 | 1995 | $18.29 |
| 1888 | $1.14 | 1924 | $2.05 | 1960 | $3.55 | 1996 | $18.82 |
| 1889 | $1.11 | 1925 | $2.10 | 1961 | $3.59 | 1997 | $19.26 |
| 1890 | $1.09 | 1926 | $2.12 | 1962 | $3.62 | 1998 | $19.56 |
| 1891 | $1.09 | 1927 | $2.09 | 1963 | $3.67 | 1999 | $19.99 |
| 1892 | $1.09 | 1928 | $2.05 | 1964 | $3.72 | 2000 | $20.66 |
| 1893 | $1.08 | 1929 | $2.05 | 1965 | $3.78 | 2001 | $21.25 |
| 1894 | $1.03 | 1930 | $2.00 | 1966 | $3.89 | 2002 | $21.59 |
| 1895 | $1.01 | 1931 | $1.82 | 1967 | $4.01 | 2003 | $22.07 |
Note: Material adapted from "The Value of a Dollar, 1860-2004." Third Edition, Scott Derks, Grey House Publishing.
