The Federal Debt, Budget and Spending
The Constitutional Dollar — What's It Worth Today?
Reorder Data:  Growth in Spending  Spending vs. Population & GDP  Deficits & Debt  
Spending Factored by Population and Inflation  

Year	Current Value of 1789 Dollar	Current Dollars Needed to Buy a 1789 Dollar	Cumulative Inflation
1789	$1.00	$1.00
1790	$0.96	$1.04	3.8%
1791	$0.94	$1.07	6.6%
1792	$0.92	$1.08	8.5%
1793	$0.89	$1.12	12.3%
1794	$0.80	$1.25	24.5%
1795	$0.70	$1.42	42.5%
1796	$0.67	$1.50	50.0%
1797	$0.69	$1.44	44.3%
1798	$0.72	$1.40	39.6%
1799	$0.72	$1.40	39.6%
1800	$0.70	$1.42	42.5%
1801	$0.69	$1.44	44.3%
1802	$0.82	$1.22	21.7%
1803	$0.78	$1.28	28.3%
1804	$0.75	$1.34	34.0%
1805	$0.75	$1.33	33.0%
1806	$0.72	$1.39	38.7%
1807	$0.76	$1.31	31.1%
1808	$0.70	$1.42	42.5%
1809	$0.72	$1.40	39.6%
1810	$0.72	$1.40	39.6%
1811	$0.67	$1.49	49.1%
1812	$0.66	$1.51	50.9%
1813	$0.55	$1.81	81.1%
1814	$0.50	$1.99	99.1%
1815	$0.57	$1.75	74.5%
1816	$0.63	$1.59	59.4%
1817	$0.66	$1.51	50.9%
1818	$0.69	$1.44	44.3%
1819	$0.69	$1.44	44.3%
1820	$0.75	$1.33	33.0%
1821	$0.78	$1.28	28.3%
1822	$0.75	$1.33	33.0%
1823	$0.84	$1.19	18.9%
1824	$0.91	$1.09	9.4%
1825	$0.89	$1.12	12.3%
1826	$0.89	$1.12	12.3%
1827	$0.88	$1.13	13.2%
1828	$0.93	$1.08	7.5%
1829	$0.95	$1.06	5.7%
1830	$0.95	$1.05	4.7%
1831	$1.02	$0.98	-1.9%
1832	$1.03	$0.97	-2.8%
1833	$1.05	$0.95	-4.7%
1834	$1.03	$0.97	-2.8%
1835	$1.00	$1.00	-.0%
1836	$0.95	$1.06	5.7%
1837	$0.92	$1.08	8.5%
1838	$0.95	$1.06	5.7%
1839	$0.95	$1.06	5.7%
1840	$1.02	$0.98	-1.9%
1841	$1.01	$0.99	-.9%
1842	$1.08	$0.92	-7.5%
1843	$1.19	$0.84	-16.0%
1844	$1.18	$0.85	-15.1%
1845	$1.16	$0.86	-14.2%
1846	$1.15	$0.87	-13.2%
1847	$1.07	$0.93	-6.6%
1848	$1.12	$0.90	-10.4%
1849	$1.15	$0.87	-13.2%
1850	$1.13	$0.89	-11.3%
1851	$1.15	$0.87	-13.2%
1852	$1.14	$0.88	-12.3%
1853	$1.14	$0.88	-12.3%
1854	$1.05	$0.95	-4.7%
1855	$1.02	$0.98	-1.9%
1856	$1.04	$0.96	-3.8%
1857	$1.01	$0.99	-.9%
1858	$1.07	$0.93	-6.6%
1859	$1.06	$0.94	-5.7%
1860	$1.06	$0.94	-5.7%
1861	$1.00	$1.00	-.0%
1862	$0.88	$1.14	14.2%
1863	$0.70	$1.42	42.5%
1864	$0.56	$1.78	78.3%
1865	$0.54	$1.85	84.9%
1866	$0.55	$1.80	80.2%
1867	$0.60	$1.68	67.9%
1868	$0.62	$1.61	61.3%
1869	$0.65	$1.55	54.7%
1870	$0.68	$1.48	48.1%
1871	$0.72	$1.39	38.7%
1872	$0.72	$1.39	38.7%
1873	$0.74	$1.36	35.8%
1874	$0.77	$1.29	29.2%
1875	$0.80	$1.25	24.5%
1876	$0.82	$1.22	21.7%
1877	$0.84	$1.19	18.9%
1878	$0.88	$1.13	13.2%
1879	$0.88	$1.13	13.2%
1880	$0.86	$1.16	16.0%
1881	$0.86	$1.16	16.0%
1882	$0.86	$1.16	16.0%
1883	$0.88	$1.14	14.1%
1884	$0.90	$1.11	11.3%
1885	$0.91	$1.09	9.4%
1886	$0.94	$1.07	6.6%
1887	$0.93	$1.08	7.5%
1888	$0.93	$1.08	7.5%
1889	$0.95	$1.05	4.7%
1890	$0.97	$1.03	2.8%
1891	$0.97	$1.03	2.8%
1892	$0.97	$1.03	2.8%
1893	$0.98	$1.02	1.9%
1894	$1.03	$0.97	-2.8%
1895	$1.05	$0.95	-4.7%
1896	$1.05	$0.95	-4.7%
1897	$1.06	$0.94	-5.7%
1898	$1.06	$0.94	-5.7%
1899	$1.06	$0.94	-5.7%
1900	$1.05	$0.95	-4.7%
1901	$1.04	$0.96	-3.7%
1902	$1.04	$0.96	-3.7%
1903	$1.04	$0.96	-3.7%
1904	$1.04	$0.96	-3.7%
1905	$1.04	$0.96	-3.7%
1906	$1.04	$0.96	-3.7%
1907	$1.04	$0.96	-3.7%
1908	$1.04	$0.96	-3.7%
1909	$1.04	$0.96	-3.7%
1910	$1.04	$0.96	-3.7%
1911	$1.04	$0.96	-3.7%
1912	$0.86	$1.16	15.6%
1913	$0.89	$1.12	11.8%
1914	$0.88	$1.14	13.7%
1915	$0.88	$1.14	13.7%
1916	$0.81	$1.23	23.3%
1917	$0.69	$1.45	44.5%
1918	$0.59	$1.70	69.6%
1919	$0.51	$1.95	94.6%
1920	$0.44	$2.25	125.4%
1921	$0.49	$2.02	102.3%
1922	$0.53	$1.89	88.8%
1923	$0.52	$1.93	92.7%
1924	$0.52	$1.93	92.7%
1925	$0.51	$1.97	96.5%
1926	$0.50	$2.00	100.4%
1927	$0.51	$1.97	96.5%
1928	$0.52	$1.93	92.7%
1929	$0.52	$1.93	92.7%
1930	$0.53	$1.89	88.8%
1931	$0.58	$1.71	71.5%
1932	$0.65	$1.54	54.1%
1933	$0.68	$1.46	46.4%
1934	$0.67	$1.50	50.3%
1935	$0.65	$1.54	54.1%
1936	$0.64	$1.56	56.1%
1937	$0.62	$1.62	61.9%
1938	$0.63	$1.60	59.9%
1939	$0.64	$1.56	56.1%
1940	$0.63	$1.58	58.0%
1941	$0.60	$1.66	65.7%
1942	$0.55	$1.83	83.1%
1943	$0.51	$1.95	94.6%
1944	$0.50	$1.98	98.5%
1945	$0.49	$2.02	102.3%
1946	$0.46	$2.20	119.7%
1947	$0.40	$2.52	152.4%
1948	$0.37	$2.72	171.7%
1949	$0.37	$2.68	167.8%
1950	$0.37	$2.72	171.7%
1951	$0.34	$2.93	192.9%
1952	$0.33	$2.99	198.7%
1953	$0.33	$3.01	200.6%
1954	$0.33	$3.03	202.5%
1955	$0.33	$3.03	202.5%
1956	$0.33	$3.06	206.4%
1957	$0.32	$3.16	216.0%
1958	$0.31	$3.26	225.6%
1959	$0.31	$3.28	227.6%
1960	$0.30	$3.33	233.4%
1961	$0.30	$3.37	237.2%
1962	$0.29	$3.41	241.1%
1963	$0.29	$3.45	244.9%
1964	$0.29	$3.49	248.8%
1965	$0.28	$3.55	254.5%
1966	$0.27	$3.66	266.1%
1967	$0.27	$3.76	275.7%
1968	$0.25	$3.93	293.1%
1969	$0.24	$4.14	314.3%
1970	$0.23	$4.37	337.4%
1971	$0.22	$4.57	356.7%
1972	$0.21	$4.72	372.1%
1973	$0.20	$5.01	401.0%
1974	$0.18	$5.57	456.9%
1975	$0.16	$6.07	507.0%
1976	$0.16	$6.42	541.7%
1977	$0.15	$6.84	584.0%
1978	$0.14	$7.36	636.1%
1979	$0.12	$8.19	718.9%
1980	$0.11	$9.27	826.8%
1981	9.8¢	$10.25	925.1%
1982	9.2¢	$10.89	988.7%
1983	8.9¢	$11.23	1023.4%
1984	8.5¢	$11.72	1071.6%
1985	8.2¢	$12.14	1113.9%
1986	8.1¢	$12.35	1135.1%
1987	7.8¢	$12.81	1181.4%
1988	7.5¢	$13.33	1233.4%
1989	7.1¢	$13.99	1298.9%
1990	6.8¢	$14.74	1374.1%
1991	6.5¢	$15.36	1435.7%
1992	6.3¢	$15.82	1482.0%
1993	6.1¢	$16.30	1530.1%
1994	6.0¢	$16.71	1570.6%
1995	5.8¢	$17.19	1618.8%
1996	5.7¢	$17.69	1668.9%
1997	5.5¢	$18.09	1709.4%
1998	5.4¢	$18.38	1738.3%
1999	5.3¢	$18.79	1778.7%
2000	5.1¢	$19.42	1841.8%
2001	5.0¢	$19.96	1896.2%
2002	4.9¢	$20.28	1928.1%
2003	4.8¢	$20.75	1974.8%
2004	4.7¢	$21.30	2030.0%
2005	4.5¢	$22.02	2102.4%
2006	4.4¢	$22.73	2172.9%
2007	4.3¢	$23.38	2237.7%
2008	4.1¢	$24.28	2327.7%
2009	4.1¢	$24.18	2317.9%
2010	4.1¢	$24.57	2356.6%
2011	3.9¢	$25.35	2435.2%
2012	3.8¢	$26.06	2506.2%
2013	3.7¢	$26.84	2584.4%
2014	3.7¢	$27.38	2638.1%
2015 (est.)	3.6¢	$27.65	2665.5%

Inflation rates prior to the mid-twentieth century are the product of research by various scholarly groups,
and represent their best estimates based upon that research.
The primary sources for budget and spending information are the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Office of Management and Budget.
Data marked '(est.)' are official projections, usually fairly optimistic.