Energy price history from 2003 through 2019

Energy Inflation Calculator

Prices for Energy, 2003-2019 ($400)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for energy were 57.46% higher in 2019 versus 2003 (a $229.83 difference in value).

Between 2003 and 2019: Energy experienced an average inflation rate of 2.88% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, energy costing $400 in the year 2003 would cost $629.83 in 2019 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.08% during this same period, inflation for energy was higher.

In the year 2003: Pricing changed by 12.33%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for energy during the 2003-2019 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 2003 (2.27%), inflation for energy was much higher.

Price Inflation for Energy since 1957

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (30.84%), 1974 (29.21%), and 1979 (25.19%).

Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Energy:

Year	1957	1958	1959	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
CPI	21.475	21.517	21.875	22.442	22.492	22.583	22.633	22.533	22.950	23.308	23.833	24.192	24.842	25.500	26.517	27.250	29.442	38.042	42.075	45.125	49.400	52.542	65.775	86.058	97.700	99.158	99.867	100.858	101.550	88.242	88.558	89.217	94.308	102.033	102.475	103.008	104.208	104.650	105.233	110.133	111.533	102.875	106.625	124.583	129.158	121.683	136.692	151.458	177.100	196.633	207.765	236.190	193.410	211.682	243.744	245.999	244.328	243.307	202.632	189.485	204.691	219.886	215.231	197.718

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Buying power of $400 since 2003

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Energy, over time, for $400 beginning in 2003. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
2003	$400.00	12.33%
2004	$443.21	10.80%
2005	$518.25	16.93%
2006	$575.41	11.03%
2007	$607.98	5.66%
2008	$691.16	13.68%
2009	$565.97	-18.11%
2010	$619.44	9.45%
2011	$713.27	15.15%
2012	$719.86	0.93%
2013	$714.98	-0.68%
2014	$711.99	-0.42%
2015	$592.96	-16.72%
2016	$554.49	-6.49%
2017	$598.98	8.02%
2018	$643.45	7.42%
2019	$629.83	-2.12%
2020	$578.58	-8.14%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.

How to calculate the inflation rate for energy, 2003-2019

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2019 / CPI in 2003 * 2003 USD value = 2019 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Energy was 136.692 in the year 2003 and 215.231 in 2019:

215.231 / 136.692 * $400 = $629.83

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $400 in 2003 has the same "purchasing power" as $629.83 in 2019 (in the CPI category of Energy).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Energy in 1957. In addition to energy, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.