Inflation in 1813 and its effect on dollar value
Purchasing power decreased by 20.30% in 1813 compared to 1812. On average, you would have to spend 20.30% more money in 1813 than in 1812 for the same item.
In other words, $1 in 1812 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $1.20 in 1813.
The 1812 inflation rate was 1.53%. The inflation rate in 1813 was 20.30%. The 1813 inflation rate is higher compared to the average inflation rate of 1.35% per year between 1813 and 2020.
Inflation rate is calculated by change in the consumer price index (CPI). The CPI in 1813 was 16.00. It was 13.30 in the previous year, 1812. The difference in CPI between the years is used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to officially determine inflation.
Contents
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| Average inflation rate | 20.30% |
| Converted amount ($1 base) | $1.20 |
| Price difference ($1 base) | $0.20 |
| CPI in 1812 | 13.300 |
| CPI in 1813 | 16.000 |
| Inflation in 1812 | 1.53% |
| Inflation in 1813 | 20.30% |
Inflation by Country
Inflation can also vary widely by country. For comparison, in the UK £1.00 in 1812 would be equivalent to £1.03 in 1813, an absolute change of £0.03 and a cumulative change of 2.52%.
Compare these numbers to the US's overall absolute change of $0.20 and total percent change of 20.30%.
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 1812 and 1813.
Compare these values to the overall average of 20.30% per year:
| Category | Avg Inflation (%) | Total Inflation (%) | $1 in 1812 → 1813 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food and beverages | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 |
| Housing | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 |
| Apparel | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 |
| Transportation | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 |
| Medical care | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 |
| Recreation | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 |
| Education and communication | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 |
| Other goods and services | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 |
For all these visualizations, it's important to note that not all categories may have been tracked since 1812. This table and charts use the earliest available data for each category.
How to Calculate Inflation Rate for $1, 1812 to 1813
Our calculations use the following inflation rate formula to calculate the change in value between 1812 and 1813:
CPI in 1813
CPI in 1812
×
1812 USD value
=
1813 USD value
Then plug in historical CPI values. The U.S. CPI was 13.3 in the year 1812 and 16 in 1813:
1613.3
×
$1
=
$1.20
$1 in 1812 has the same "purchasing power" or "buying power" as $1.20 in 1813.
To get the total inflation rate for the 1 years between 1812 and 1813, we use the following formula:
CPI in 1813 - CPI in 1812CPI in 1812
×
100
=
Cumulative inflation rate (1 years)
Plugging in the values to this equation, we get:
16 - 13.313.3
×
100
=
20%
News headlines from 1812
Politics and news often influence economic performance. Here's what was happening at the time:
- Arthur Wellesley, first Duke of Wellington, orders British troops to storm Ciudad Rodrigo after a 10-day-long siege.
- The 1812 War begins as the United States declares war against Britain.
- Napoleon's occupation of Moscow begins.
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: “Inflation Rate in 1813 | Inflation Calculator.” Official Inflation Data, Alioth Finance, 4 Aug. 2020, https://www.officialdata.org/inflation-rate-in-1813.
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.
| Average inflation rate | 20.30% |
| Converted amount ($1 base) | $1.20 |
| Price difference ($1 base) | $0.20 |
| CPI in 1812 | 13.300 |
| CPI in 1813 | 16.000 |
| Inflation in 1812 | 1.53% |
| Inflation in 1813 | 20.30% |