Inflation Calculator

At 3% inflation, prices double roughly every 24 years (the rule of 72: 72 ÷ rate ≈ doubling time). Money held as cash loses that much purchasing power — which is why long-term savings generally need to be invested, not parked.

U.S. CPI inflation has averaged about 3% over the last century, though individual decades ranged from near 0% to over 13%. Your personal rate depends on what you buy — housing, tuition, and healthcare have outpaced headline CPI for decades.